Pot 29 10 2017

See inside: Addressing Sexual Harassment in Guyana ► Page II The ‘sweet’ life isn’t everything ► Page VI

– stories of survival, loss, and pain from people affected by road accidents ► Page

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Editor’s note As we bid farewell to October- designated both Breast Cancer Awareness and Agriculture Month, the Pepperpot Magazine brings you just a few more stories that tap into these areas. But as November beckons, we also begin to look toward Road Safety Awareness and the work of the Guyana Road Safety Council. We dig a bit

deeper, however, by giving some insight into the lives of persons who, following some reckless action on the roadways, are now struggling to pick up the pieces and move on. The importance of road safety can never be over stated, as it will ever be an important conversation that needs to be had, particularly given the recent

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017 accidents that took the lives of numerous persons in the past weeks. Speaking of important conversations, we also take a look at sexual harassment and examine the social issues surrounding this problem, including our inability to face it head on, despite its daily occurrence. These stories are complimented by our usual ensemble of light and thought-provoking stories all aimed at enriching your Sunday reading.

Addressing Sexual Harassment in Guyana

Overcoming our discomfort

By Gibron Rahim

FIGURATIVELY burying our heads in the sand is particular to human beings. The expression has been used to describe the avoidance of dealing with difficult issues or situations. It is a peculiar idea, which stems from the (erroneous) belief that ostriches react this way to avoid danger. On the other hand, we in Guyana oftentimes avoid conversations we need to have, much like this action suggests. Sexual harassment of vulnerable groups – women and the LGBT Community – is one of these conversations. The issue needs to be addressed and dealt with for the lives and wellbeing of our fellow human beings are involved.

LEGAL DEFINITIONS There are legal limitations to the handling of sexual harassment. The specific term ‘sexual harassment’ is mentioned in the Prevention of Discrimination Act of 1997. As defined under Section 2 of the Act: “‘sexual harassment’ means unwanted conduct of a sexual nature in the workplace or in connection with the performance or work which is threatened or imposed as a condition of employment on an employee or which creates a hostile working environment for the employee.”

Section 8 of the Act states that: “Any act of sexual harassment against an employee committed by an employer, managerial employee or co-worker shall constitute unlawful discrimination based on sex within the meaning of Section 4 of this Act.” Furthermore, according to Section 4: “A person discriminates against another person if the first-mentioned person makes, on any of the grounds mentioned in Subsection (2), any distinction, exclusion or preference the intent or effect of which is to nullify or impair equality of opportunity or treatment in any employment or occupation.”

BROADENING THE DEFINITION The grounds mentioned in Section 4 include race, sex, religion and ethnic origin, to name a few. Sexual orientation and gender identity and expression are notably missing. Thus, members of the LGBT community are not protected from sexual harassment in the workplace under the law. Additionally, there is no coverage under the law for sexual harassment that takes place in spheres of society other than in the workplace.

The legal limitations only tell part of the story. There is a social aspect to sexual harassment that fuels it. The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with women’s rights activist, Akola Thompson, who noted that it would be a disservice to look at sexual harassment as solely affecting working women. Sexual harassment can occur in the home. Street harassment, a form of sexual harass-

ment, is all too common. Women who face these forms of harassment have no idea of where or who they can go to report incidents, Thompson explained. Added to the difficulties in reporting sexual harassment of women is the practice of victim blaming. Fingers are all too commonly pointed at women who are sexually harassed.

Their dress and/or behaviour are attributed as the cause of sexual harassment.

Thompson cautioned against looking at the issue of sexual harassment in isolation. There are numerous factors that need to be taken into consideration. There is one in particular that has to be dealt with. “First, you have to deal with the whole culture that sexual violence is normal,” she said. She questioned how we can even go about beginning to change that culture since she noted

Joel Simpson (Photo courtesy of Joel Simpson)

that people do not necessarily want to change.

Even then, there is the question of enforcement and getting victims of sexual harassment to come forward because of the stigmatisation associated with speaking up. “When it comes to solutions, you have to take a more holistic approach and not just look at one aspect.”

Before speaking to the Pepperpot Magazine that day, Thompson had just come out of a “Women’s Wednesdays” session. This new initiative sees her and a panel of other women discussing issues affecting women over a Facebook live feed, while also responding to questions posted by viewers in real time. It takes place every Wednesday at lunchtime. The topic of this past Wednesday’s discussion was coincidentally sexual harassment.

The Women’s Wednesdays guest panelists

spoke about how sexual harassment has affected each of them. Every single one of them had a story to tell about sexual harassment. They described how sexual harassment shapes the way they choose to dress to try to mitigate being catcalled and receiving unwanted comments on the streets.

Ignoring the harassment makes it worse they said.

Some of them recalled truly upsetting incidents where they were touched inappropriately by men while out in public. They described feeling uncomfortable and unsafe.

Perhaps most disturbingly, as the panelists noted, some men believe that women like to be given these types of treatment and the issue is very much linked to power and control. Though they were sure to distinguish between sexual harassment and giving an appropriate compliment, the women also emphasised that a woman is not inclined to respond to a compliment. That point is very much linked to the view of women as possessions. In speaking to the Pepperpot Magazine, Thompson herself noted that even when persons intervene to stop sexual harassment, the language used, such as “she’s not yours”, implies the belief that women are possessions.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND LGBT GROUPS Members of Guyana’s LGBT community are also vulnerable to sexual harassment. Joel Simpson, Managing Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), in a correspondence with the Pepperpot Magazine explained, that homophobia is a gender-based prejudice and is often linked to the sexism that is the root of sexual harassment. He said that lesbian and bisexual women are particularly at risk since their sexual identities are often fetishised by perpetrators. He noted, though, that while Guyana generally has good laws on sexual offences generally, gaps exist in relation to sexual harassment.

This is compounded further by the complete lack of legal protection from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression in the workplace. There is little to no legal recourse for LGBT workers who are sexually harassed. SASOD is advocating for the Prevention of Discrimination Act of 1997 to be amended to include sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. “Currently, our communities have no real protection under the ordinary laws of Guyana,” Simpson said.

Simpson referred to the stereotypes about LGBT people that abound in Guyana. The LGBT community suffers a great deal of street-based sexual harassment that is often intended to ridicule and shame. These, he said, are rooted in the stereotypes that view homosexuals and bisexuals as promiscuous.

It is clear that sexual harassment is a complex problem facing Guyanese society. Men can be touchy about the subject of sexual violence as Thompson has discovered through Women’s

Akola Thompson (Photo Credit: Marceano Narine)

Wednesdays. This makes it all the more certain that we absolutely need to have these dialogues, uncomfortable as they may be. And if we are witness to an incident of sexual harassment we need to speak up, if we can. “Try to intervene,” Thompson said. “Don’t just stand by and let something happen.” Growing up, she was taught not to question certain things that would happen, such as domestic violence. But she knows different now. ‘Women’s Wednesdays’ tries to create a space where women can discuss problems affecting them freely.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS To end the problem of sexual harassment, a change is needed in Guyana at every level according to Simpson. The political electorate, he said, needs to change and strengthen laws and policies and send a clear message to the population that sexual harassment in any form, as well as homophobic and transphobic discrimination, are serious offences. He also observed that the State has a duty to educate its citizens. He illustrated a few ways in which this can be done. Partnerships with civil society can be strengthened and resources can be provided for education at community and local levels. The Ministry of Social Protection can develop mass-media campaigns and partner with the state media, especially to roll out public service announcements. “There is so much that can be done with the resources we have available to us in this country to tackle these social ills. All it takes is the will to create change,” he said.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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– stories of survival, loss, and pain from people affected by road accidents

By Ravena Gildharie

at social events.

(D&I) foreman of ‘B’ Field Sophia, died clutching his two “I does go to Giftland Mall for example nephews who he was taking back to their home when the ALMOST every week, there are reports and people would stare at me like they have vehicle collided with another and toppled several times on of road accidents and incidents, some never seen someone in a wheelchair before. the roadway. At first, Shelto withdrew from society and deadly, like the two most recent occurI wasn’t born this way. An accident caused spent months indoors crying and praying for strength to rences in Berbice and on the West Bank me to be like this but, I am not dead. I still move on and help her sons who were very close to their Demerara, which claimed the lives of have my life to live,” Isurdeen related. brother. The grief was so immense on the family that Shela total of seven persons including five Gilia Torto’s mother died three months later. youths. Even as Guyana prepares to obres-Amin, 27, is anThough she was sickly, the elderly serve National Road Safety Month, come other accident surviwoman had a strong bond with her November, we must remember that the vor, who lost the two deceased grandson. loss of lives is never acceptable for any main members of her The day after his death, Shelto human and neither are the physical injufamily, her mother took to the streets in protest against ries sometimes painful and life-altering and grandmother, 10 reckless road use and to sensitise the that survivors suffer. Moreover, the years ago in an acpublic on the need to stand up against emotional scars left behind are a heavy cident on the Soessuch behaviour before suffering the burden laid on families and survivors, dyke/Linden Highloss she endured. that no amount of time can seem to heal. way. She was just “My son was a beautiful child. I If we knew their stories, their suffer16 at the time and can never get over the pain...I have ings, their trauma we can somehow take Remembering the late Elron just about to write found healing in my volunteer work Peter McLennon of Sophia who it upon ourselves to be better road users? the then-CXC examwith the children but it is still a pain died along with four others on Take for instance Uttamkumar Iurdeen, Homestretch Avenue in 2011 inations. Suffering a I won’t wish on any mother,” Shelto a 32-year-old former teacher of Pomona, broken hip and head expressed. She has since erected a Essequibo Coast. Eleven years ago, he was an active man injuries, Gilia was forced to take on cross on the site of the accident which who had just relocated to Industry, East Coast Demerara, the motherly responsibility of her she hopes would serve as a rememwith his wife, who was attending the teachers’ training col- one-year-old sister who also survived brance of the lives that were cut down lege. The couple had a young son, then not yet a year old. the crash. by accident and create awareness for Isurdeen had quit his teaching job and made the move to At the time, the family was headbetter road use. support his wife’s dream. He took a job in construction to ing to Linden on an afternoon outing “Commuters must understand that support his family financially. One Saturday, he was travel- with friends. Both of the older Torres the sole reason for the existence of the ling back home in a minibus from his worksite at Victoria. women died on the spot. Gilia’s whole A reminder of a minibus/taxi industry is the commuter There was a crash and Isurdeen was in the front seat. After life was changed and even today, now life lost due to a and his/her demands for transportahitting a car, the bus toppled several times before it landed with a family of her own, she finds it road accident at tion. Therefore the most powerful on a fence. Pulled from the wreckage, Isurdeen was unable emotionally painful to remember the Houston person is we the commuters…we to move. His life had been altered forever. event and resulting struggles. must speak out against the speeding to But it wasn’t the event that save lives,” the grieving mother hit him hard. It was the series advocated. of agony, physical and emo“People need to realise that tional pains that keep rolling on the vehicle is a deadly weapon through time, even as Isurdeen and we need to exercise caubravely fights to overcome the tion every day. Practice the odds.

Five Cs, especially common “Drivers should be aware of sense,” urges Ramona Doorgen the effects they have on other of the Guyana National Road people’s lives…They have a Safety council. She noted that responsibility for lives. If they too many lives have been lost cause people to die, it is one and much more affected by thing and if you survive, look accidents. at how you can live in disaster,” The GNRC is already movhe said. He expressed disgust ing to have trained counsellors at the practice of cramming to offer support to survivors Vehicles traversing a roadway in Guyana passengers like ‘sardines’, into and relatives of those deceased buses, loud and vulgar music due to accidents. and speeding - all of which As of June this year, the passengers seemingly accept from time to time.

“Somethings you just don’t forget not even if you try Guyana Police Force (GPF) Traffic Department StatisAfter months of painful physical therapy based on hard to…It was such a difficult time for me after the ac- tics reported a 29.3 per cent decrease in fatal accidents doctors’ advice that there is a 50/50 chance of regaining cident. I had to learn to live without the two people who for the year thus far, as compared to last year, yet, the mobility, Isurdeen has come to accept his fate but remains were closest to me, who I depended on to provide and care fatal accidents within the past two weeks are a stark an ardent advocate for not only road safety but, awareness for me,” Gilia related. She was forced to live with several reminder that work must continue to be done in order on many other social issues. Just recently, he took part in relatives and depended on their financial aid, up until she to ensure that vehicle users exercise maximum caution the Cancer Awareness Walk. completed CXC and secured a job to provide for herself and while on the roadways, as the results of misuse are often His son is now 11 years old and Isurdeen, wheel- sister. Time has moved on but, Gilia is still troubled by the times detrimental and life changing. National Road Safechair-bound, ensures they both enjoy father-son time at memories of that dreadful event. ty Awareness Month will be launched on November 1, cricket matches and other public events. But the pain is in Berbice this year, and among its many activities will sometimes unbearable. The loss of his freedom is even A MOTHER’S PAIN include a candle light vigil as well as its ‘White Knight’ more distressing, especially since he observed that many On July 18, 2011 another family was thrown into mourn- Campaign, a collaborative effort between the Guyana businesses and locations in Guyana are not convenient or ing after an accident on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown. Police Force and the GNRC that aims to encourage all caters for physically challenged persons.

Doris Shelto lost a part of her heart, a son, the second of road users to decline from driving drunk, designate a five boys. driver and to restrict the escalation of road accidents; ALONE “My whole world was turned upside down when I lost as well as reaching the United Nations Decade of Action “Then there is the shame,” Isurdeen pointed out, noting my son,” Shelto said. In the prime of his youth, Elron Pe- for Road Safety of a 50 per cent decrease in fatal accithe stares he endures when out with his family especially ter Mc Lennon, 27, a community Drainage and Irrigation dents by 2020.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

FILES E S A C COURT

1968 canecutter ‘Jack’ was granted compensation for injuries THE Full Court in 1968 concluded that a Magistrate was correct in deciding that canecutter Ivan Jack should receive compensation for injuries received in a fall in the course of his employment.

And that Court, constituted by Chief Justice Harold Bollers and Justice Horace Mitchell, commended a magistrate who found that the canecutter was in the course of his employment when he fell off a bridge. That Court also dismissed the appeal by the Blairmont Estates, Ltd. The respondent was a cane-cutter employed by the appellants on their estate.

On his way to work, the respondent who was riding a cycle crossed a bridge , the property of the appellants , when a board slipped off a beam of the bridge.

In so doing, the respondent fell from his cycle into a trench below the bridge, and suffered injuries, as a result of which he filed an application for the payment of workmen’s compensation based on temporary partial incapacity. The appellants did not traverse or deny the allegation relating to the incapacity, even though it was argued in the court below, but contended that the accident did not arise out of, and in the course of, the respondent’s employment.

HELD, agreeing with Bennett v. Etwarie (1): that the allegation as to the incapacity not having been specially tra-

versed and denied in the pleadings, it must be taken to have been admitted; and that the accident arose out of and in the course of the workman’s employment , as at the time of the accident the workman was in a place. Which formed part of his employers’ premises where he would not have been entitled to be but for his contract of employment.

Appealed dismissed.

11 cases referred to.

Appeal from a decision of a magistrate, The facts appear fully set out in the judgment of the court.

M. Churaman, for the appellants.

S. Mohabir for the respondent.

Chief Justice Bollers, delivered the judgment of the court: On October 28, 1967, the respondent a cane cutter employed by the appellant company , was riding his cycle on his way to work when he came to a bridge on the Bath Estate , the property of the company, which he had to cross in order to get to his place of work.

As he was cycling over the bridge,a board on the bridge slipped off the beam of the bridge and caused him to fall from his cycle into the trench.

Unfortunately, there was a pile in the trench and the respondent’s head struck the pile and as a result he sustained injuries. He received a cut on the chin, a blow on the face, and one of his teeth was knocked out .

He bled from both ears. The respondent, on the instructions from the overseer, was sent to the estate dispensary where he received first aid treatment, and then later was sent to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was admitted as a patient for two days.

After his discharge from hospital the respondent was treated by the estate dispenser and then referred to Dr. Persaud, the estate doctor. After an examination by Dr. Persaud, the respondent was served with a document which purported to be signed by Dr. Persaud and dated December 1, 1967.

This was a document issued in accordance with Form 16 of the Workmen’s Compensation Ordinance , Cap. 111 [G].

On that same day the respondent was served with another document by the appellant company which purported to be a notice in accordance with s. 12 of the Ordinance ,that as a result of the medical report received, as from December 2 ,1967, compensation payments in respect of an injury sustained by him on October 28,1967, in the course of his employment should cease .

Also on December 1, 1967 , the respon-

By George Barclay

dent was handed a letter by the personnel manager of the company, addressed to the field manager of the estate where the respondent was employed by the company, stating that the bearer was fit to resume work as from December 2, 1967. it must be made clear that the spot where the accident took place was about 2 1/2 miles from the respondent’s workplace and the dam on which the respondent rode on the bridge , and the bridge were both the property of the company and under their control.

The company provided a railway locomotive to convey workers to their workplace but the respondent and other estate workers assigned to a particular section were permitted to use the dam and the bridge to get to their place of work , and indeed, the respondent was informed by the Field Foreman of the gang in which he worked that he could use the dam for the purpose of getting to his workplace.

In his application for compensation brought under the Workmen’s Compensation Ordinance , the respondent claimed compensation for temporary, partial incapacity for the period from October 23, 1967 (when the accident occurred) up to December 1, 1967, when he was served with the letter signed by the personnel manager which stated that he was fit to resume work.

The appellants, in their answer , inter alia, denied that the respondent had suffered an accident arising out of and in the course of his employment, but did not traverse specifically the respondent’s claim that he had suffered any temporary, partial incapacity.

In these circumstances, the learned magistrate in his memorandum of reasons stated that from the evidence the only question the court had to determine was whether the injuries sustained by the workman arose out of and in the course of his employment. He found as a fact that the dam and bridge on which the workman travelled to work were owned and maintained by the appellant company and that all employees working at that section of the estate were instructed to use the dam to get to their workplace.

In this latter finding we take the view that there was no evidence to support it , and the true position was that the respondent and other workers were permitted to use the dam and the bridge to get at their work place.

The learned magistrate then proceeded to enter judgment in favour o the respondent and to make an award for the sum $97.82 in respect of the sum claimed , obviously on the basis that the respondent had suffered a temporary , partial incapacity as the result of injuries received in an accident which arose out and in the course of his employment .

The respondent’s claim for compensation under the Ordinance, Cap. 111 must therefore succeed. The appeal is dismissed and the order of the Magistrate affirmed with costs to the respondent.

Appeal dismissed.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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#SupportCreativity

By Subraj Singh

Why the Guyanese Government Should Create Local Writing Residencies I WILL waste no point more work to be written – beating around the bush. more literature to be creatI am no politician. The ed. Of course, such a format state of literature in Guycan be applied to a range ana is not where it needs of genres or writers, or no to be, nor where it should specification at all, which be. This is not because would introduce writers to there is a great shortage people and types of writing of talented writers in the that they would not have country. The truth is that encountered before. there are many young This last point is particpeople who want to write, ularly important because no who can write, and yet are environment is as condudenied the opportunity to cive to writing as the one do so because of a number that puts writers together in of varying factors. It is a singular space and having quite easy for the conthem interact with each trarian to point out that other. Such a situation is in history there have been fertile ground for creativity writers who came from and collaboration. This is hardships and managed one of the most important to emerge triumphant tenets of a group residency with what was to become – where individuals are able Writers from all around world come together as part of the 50th International Writing Programme Residency a classic novel or poem. But is to learn from each other and this the norm, or merely the work together to create new and place he/she is used to and invites them into a new environment exception? Furthermore, we live in a country where one gets that allows them to write with basic amenities (food, wifi, etc.) innovative works of art. Also, importantly, group residencies the sense of everyone being depressed (no doubt reflected being provided. Certainly, even in this basic sketch of what a simply allow writers to have a bit of fun, and sometimes, that is in our insanely high suicide rate – which even has its own residency entails, the merits can be deduced. Surely, the people all that is needed for the creation of good literary work.

Wikipedia page) and/or being oppressed in some way and/or who dreamed up the Ministry of Social Cohesion can more Residencies are a good idea and one that can have trebeing generally unhappy. This is the environment in which than come up with a plan for interesting and innovative literary mendous benefits for local writers. The current government writers have to create, and given the grim circumstances, residencies for Guyanese writers. has a lot to prove when it comes to the way the arts are there is no doubt in my mind that young writers in Guyana Such a writing residency, besides giving a writer the free- treated in Guyana. Do they care? Do they know how imhave much to say. So what is stopping them? dom to write, creates a sort of tunnel-vision where the writer is portant it is for our people and country? As with all things, Poverty, or the fear of it, is one of the main influential allowed to see and work towards a singular goal without any only time will tell. factors that drive anything Guyanese people set out to do. Suc- distractions. For a society like cessive governments have failed to allow a lot of people to feel Guyana where so much is hapsecure in the positions they hold – “secure”, also referring to pening (in politics, in one’s perthe sense of security a job is supposed to bring to oneself and sonal life, in the environment), one’s family in all areas. For this reason, the arts tend to take a this is the sort of thing that is backseat. I am sure that I am not the only one who has to work needed by some people in order all day and write what little I can at night. Similarly, I am sure to get their work done. Furtherthat there are those who have to work several jobs and write more, if that tunnel-vision idea whenever they have time at work or those who work at nights is applied to a particular goal and write during the day when they should be resting for work. then it is probable that GuyIt is impossible for one to become a writer in Guyana and to ana’s position in the ranking not have any other means of income. These factors, obviously, of contemporary regional liternot only affect the writer and the general climate of writing in ature will rise. For example, if Guyana, but it also affects the work itself. What kind of work a residency is created and aims is being created in an environment that is not riddled by stress to have people write pieces that and exhaustion, and conducive in any way to writing? Certainly can be submitted to the annunot the best kind of that same work that could have been created al Burt Award for Caribbean had the conditions been different.

Literature competition (which A writing residency, offering space and time to select writ- rewards Caribbean authors who ers in which to complete their work is one initiative that the write for children), then the government can take in order to ensure that writers are offered children’s authors in Guyana the conditions that allow for the best possible kind of writing would get together as part of to be done, and in a timely manner. Such a residency can cater that residency and work tofor anyone who demonstrates the kind of talent that is apparent wards the goal that would be the in our young people. A residency can be at least a week-long Burt Award. While such a move (let’s say to coincide with leave offered by a writer’s day job), might increase the chance of a with longer residencies also available, depending on the writer Guyanese author winning the and the project. All the Ministry of Education or Ministry of award, more importantly, it also Social Cohesion or the Ministry of the Presidency needs to do leads to the creation of more is to provide a safe, inspiring space (right here in Guyana – Le- pieces of a particular genre of them, the Pomeroon, Canal, etc.) that takes the writer out of the literature. Residencies enable

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

The ‘sweet’ life isn’t everything

Young tattoo artist with diabetes encourages healthier lifestyles

By Vanessa Braithwaite TWO years ago, Ryan Dasilva, a 31-yearold tattoo artist and airbrush designer from the mining town of Linden would spend most of his days drinking alcohol, eating fast food, working around the clock while engaging in reckless activities with friends who didn’t know better. His life, according to him, was a wild routine and while it often bothered his conscience, he prayed to God to help him change.

Soon, Ryan’s lifestyle caught up with him and he began to feel tired. What was causing this overwhelmingly tired feeling in his system was an answer that changed his life forever. “I realised that at the end of the day, I started feeling drowsy and tired, then I realised that this is something that my mother spoke about when she started with diabetes.

So when I start get my own, I remember and I went to her and I said, I feel the same way you feel and she telling me ‘Don’t say that! Don’t say that!’ And she did the test on me,” Ryan related. His blood sugar level was an alarming 575 mg/dl (while the average person’s blood sugar should range between about 70-140). His mother encouraged him to seek medical attention immediately but he was in denial and did so three days after.

When he visited the Linden Hospital Complex, his blood sugar had gone down since his mother gave him a shot of her insulin and medication. He was, however, immediately diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

This type of diabetes is deemed the worse kind, since your body does not produce any insulin; a hormone needed to get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. It is often diagnosed in young children and young adults and unfortunately for these, living on injectable insulin which has become a part of their everyday routine.

Out of his eight siblings, he is the only one suffering from diabetes and while he prepared his mind for the drastic changes that follow, he was determined to fight the disease. “The speed that I was going at, I asked God to take my habits in any way, I use to drink a lot, come to work and work from 06:00hrs to midnight, drinking all the time while working and harassing my body and I use to pray for it to go away and now the habits are gone,” Ryan confessed, and added that it is unfortunate that he had to be diagnosed with diabetes before learning his lesson.

FACING THE CHALLENGES As a young man and father to three, Ryan started to fight the battles that came his way. One of these was rapid weight loss, which resulted in many persons, even some of his own former associates, rumouring that he has HIV/AIDS. The weight loss came as a surprise to Ryan since he was trying everything everyone was telling him to, to remain healthy. “It keep getting worse and I didn’t know, I keep getting slim and slim...I went to one of my aunts who is diabetic too and she asked me why I getting so fine and I tell she I eating everything that I should eat, all the whole wheat stuff, provision and so forth and steam food and she said no you can’t do that, you can eat anything but in moderation, and I got own way and said I don’t want anybody tell me Ryan before anything, I will learn this on my own,” a daily exercise routine. “From then, it startRyan related.

He then started doing his own research ed to get better, but my blood count started and though the weight kept coming off, he dropping and I realise that I was still stresscompletely changed his diet and commenced ing about other things,” he said, one of which was the separation from his wife.

Ryan decided to take a sabbatical from Linden for three months to recover from all that he was experiencing. But, knowing that he has three children to maintain, he had to return to work, where he continued to face the stigma and to fight off bad influences. Maintaining a healthy diet also proved to be a challenge, since most cook shops in Linden do not cater for diabetics and burdening someone to cook for him every day has not been working out. He, however, continues to operate his shop in the Mackenzie arcade where he trades his various artistic skills to earn an honest dollar. “I am a tattoo artist, an airbrush artist, a barber, a costume and fashion designer and so I have to be creative and being creative means I cannot be stressing on other things.”

STOP LIVING RECKLESS Ryan said that he is now an advocate of a healthy lifestyle among his peers and siblings since he does not want them to experience

Ryan after what he has been going through. “I does tell them, be very sceptical especially when it comes to alcohol and eating fatty food because when you drink, you tend to eat a lot of meat and then you go and sleep with all that meat on your stomach. Then you mixing your rum with coke, the rum is sugar and the coke is sugar, then when you go home, you eating a lot of rice and rice is one of the major causes of diabetes. So I encourage them to be very careful with their diet especially the liquid, when it comes to alcohol, the brown rum is very sweet. Young people don’t like greens and I would be happy if they can educate themselves more, because I don’t think they want to get feelings like me and I don’t want that for them,” Ryan advised.

Diabetes has been cited as one of the leading cause of deaths in Guyana. In 2015 there were 49,800 cases of diabetes in the country.

According to statistics, from the International Diabetics Federation (IDF) Guyana is one of the 24 countries of the IDF NAC region.

According to the IDF, 415 million people have diabetes in the world and more than 44.3 million people in the NAC Region. By 2040 this figure is expected to rise to some 60.5 million the IDF predicts.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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Bacteria on teeth

MANY people may be surprised to learn that dental disease is just like any other infection caused by bacteria.

It is a condition that those germs can be spread easily, is transferred from person to person, and worst of all can grow on things like toothbrushes. Now, once you realiSe that dental disease is this kind of infection, you understand how very simple steps can be used to control it.

In the nineteenth century, progressive medical surgeons begged peers to wash their hands so as to prevent the spread of infection. Today I beg patients to clean their mouths and their toothbrushes to control the spread of tooth and gum disease between family members. Today we have become more aware of the delicate balance that exists between the bacteria that help and protect us and the bacteria that cause infection and illness. Overuse of antibiotics showed us that if protective bacteria were removed, overgrowth by harmful ones often followed, and the same reactions can be seen when we look at mouth bacteria.

Bacteria that live on teeth can grow only when attached to a hard, non-shedding surface. Some kinds of tooth bacteria are harmful, whereas others are good for our health. In fact, it appears that teeth need a barrier of healthy protective bacteria to stop harmful ones from damaging the tooth surface. The

balance between good and bad bacteria is important for dental health, and it is also important to know that this balance can change. People are often surprised to learn that they can lose healthy bacteria following an abrasive dental cleaning, after taking a course of antibiotics, or when the mouth becomes dry or acidic for long periods of time. During times of change, it is possible for a new type of bacteria to infect your mouth and suddenly cause damage to your teeth and dental health.

Tooth bacteria rarely exist in a baby’s mouth before the

presence of a tooth. Therefore, the origin of these bacteria is necessarily someone else’s tooth. DNA studies have illustrated that a parent, usually the mother, is most often the person who passes tooth bacteria from her mouth the baby’s mouth when his or her first tooth erupts. Most people imagine a genetic link or something in the mother’s milk that passes on dental disease. The truth is that the dental disease is transferred directly to a child’s new tooth, often during a loving cuddle or kiss.

Most often, parents and caregivers share their mouth germs with their children (vertical transmission), but it is also possible for mouth germs to spread between siblings or from spouse to spouse (horizontal transmission). Research shows, and parents should also be aware that children born by caesarean section appear to be infected by mouth germs earlier – possibly because they lack some kind of protection – than do vaginally delivered infants.

Bacteria travel to the new baby tooth most often in a droplet of saliva. The bacteria can transfer during a kiss, from a drop of saliva on spoons or pacifiers, or from food shared with a baby. Sometimes parents suck the nipple of their baby’s feeding bottle to test the temperature and taste of the feed. I would never suggest that parents stop kissing their baby or worry about sharing food. Think about this: If the bacteria do not come from your mouth, they will be transferred from the mouth of someone else who comes into contact with your child. Since this bacteria transfer cannot be stopped, it makes more sense to control the kind of bacteria passed to children.

Obviously, you want a baby to be infected with healthy, dentally, protective bacteria rather than aggressive, cavity-forming ones. The fact is that once a particular

kind of bacteria reaches a baby’s first tooth, these bacteria will then colonise or spread to the other baby teeth as they erupt. It has also been shown that whenever there are many harmful bacteria in a parent’s mouth, the chances that they will transfer to the child are greater. It has also been shown that the first kind of bacteria to infect the biting surfaces of molar teeth usually become the dominant strain in the mouth because the grooves of these teeth become reservoirs of bacteria for the mouth. Changing the kind of bacteria in a child’s mouth after molar teeth have erupted becomes more difficult. This fact can also be used to a parent’s advantage. To give children the best advantage, make sure that healthy bacteria are established in their mouths before the molar teeth erupt.

This simple charge can provide your child with many years of dental protection.

Preventing the passage of harmful germs to the next generation may be the most promising method of preventing cavities in children’s teeth. If this is the first time you heard about this kind of bacterial transfer, it will be natural for you to wonder why there has been no media attention and no national education on the topic.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

BLOOD DONORS ARE HEROES – THEY SAVE LIVES

THREE Sundays ago, we had the rewarding experience of attending the Speech Day of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan school on the West Coast Demerara.

The occasion was very reminiscent of the Speech Days of the Old Queen’s College of 50 to 60 years ago. The boys of this boy’s school were accorded a well-rounded education in those times and this made Queen’s famous well beyond the shores of Guyana. Saraswati Vidya Niketan, likewise, cultivates well-rounded students, developing them intellectually, morally and physically and the outstanding performances of its students at the CXC Examinations are known Caribbean-wide.

To encounter a school in Guyana where “mens sana in corpore sano” (a healthy mind in healthy body) together with the cultivation of a strong ethical commitment had been achieved, was indeed a very pleasant surprise since most tend to assume that the ideal of a rounded education had long disappeared.

In the short time between programme items, we questioned pupils to try to find out their take on the success of their fine school.

They said their motto was their living guide.

Their motto, in both Sanskrit and English, could be seen in various places. It is: Satyam vada - Be always truthful; Dharmam cara Practice Righteousness; Svadhayanan Ma Pramadah - Never Abandon Studies. Many also claimed that the name of their school was an inspiration: Saraswati - that aspect of God which is invoked to develop Education; Vidya - Learning in its widest sense; Niketan (pron. Nee - kay - tan) means “abode” Thus their school’s name could roughly be translated as “ An abode of Learning grounded in God’s inspiration”.

An example of the pupils’ ethical commitment is manifested in their biennial donation of hundreds of pints of blood to the National Blood Bank. Indeed, in one year, SVN’s contribution was 10% of the holdings of the Blood Bank.

Blood collected is used for blood transfusions. Blood transfusion is the transference of blood collected into the Circulatory System of another person, mostly to save that person’s life. This involves special skills in drawing blood from the donor; storing such

blood for a comparatively lengthy period; then getting such blood into the patient’s body. Blood incorrectly drawn or stored is useless. The Blood Transfusion process is always administered in a hospital or in hospital conditions.

A few examples of the value of blood transfusion: In traffic, industrial and other accidents, victims often lose a great amount of blood which if not quickly replaced could result in death. Each year, therefore, blood transfusions save the lives of numerous victims.

Patients who have to go through various surgical operations may lose blood, which if not quickly replaced, may result in death or further deterioration in health. Sometimes, surgeons may not perform operations except blood transfusion is available to the patients.

Many, especially the aged, often suffer from debilitation and a falling blood count.

If one’s blood count falls too low, one could become unconscious and die. Blood transfusions save the lives of many such persons.

Sometimes, in childbirth, mothers may have to be given blood transfusions to save their lives.

Many persons understand the moral imperative of donating blood but are inhibited from donating by fear that giving blood would weaken one’s body and that blood given could never be replaced. These fears are groundless as blood donated is replaced

by the body itself in 60 days and donating blood has never weakened any donor.

Blood could be donated to the Blood Banks at any of the following hospitals: Georgetown Public Hospital; Suddie Hospital; West Demerara Regional Hospital; New Amsterdam Hospital; Linden Hospital.

There is always a shortage of blood at the hospitals and members of the public are enjoined to donate to save lives. Most are occasional donors but there are a few who are regular and would have donated tens of pints over many years.

The solution to having adequate blood banks lie in having institutional donors. The Saraswati Vidya Niketan model is one which could be adopted by educational and other such institutions countrywide. The model is quite simple. The students on their own donate and then recruit parents, members of family, friends and members of their community to donate. Since part of the school’s population changes every year, new donors would become available. Pupils who have done very well in recruiting are recognised by the school.

The Ministry of Education, the Teachers College and the University of Guyana could begin to educate their publics as to the moral, ethical and practical reasons for blood donations and at the same time organise themselves into regular institutional donors.

The Blue-eyed Beauty and the Wai Wai Warrior By: Abdool A. Aziz THE Scottish student, Mary Boots came to Guyana to study the life of the Harpy Eagle, the largest bird of prey which is

found in our country. She was attached to a Wai Wai Amerindian village to do her university assignment.

THE WARRIOR GUIDE

She was well greeted when the Cessna Aircraft touched down at Konashen, and the village captain assigned his only son Torro to be her special guide. The young brave was enamoured by this C`aucasian beauty, wearing a crown of auburn hair and glaring her jet blue satellite eyes, like a pair of azure diamonds.

No one had seen a white woman before. She was an honoured guest and the villagers were told to respect her. Torro was ecstatic to be close to her, he was fascinated by those blue marble orbs sparkling and dazzling.

ON THE TRAIL Just before dawn, they set out for the Savannahs and the tall Kumaka tree which was the nesting place of the giant eagle. She was from the hills of Scotland – rough and tough, but a bit wayward. While crossing a mossy log across the swamp she slipped and fell. As she struggled to regain her composure, she caught the attention of a hungry Anaconda slithering nearby.

THE RESCUE The reptile wrapped its huge coils around her. Torro immediately plunged into the muddy waters and took out his knife. He jostled with the snake found its head and punctured it. The serpent went limp, the coils loosened – Mary was saved. Torro lifted her on his shoulders and brought her to the embankment and cleaned her up. He dashed back into the swamp and dragged the snake out, skinned it and smoked the meat. Anaconda for supper.

TORRO HER – HERO She hugged and kissed the brave man.

Her country is famous for chivalry, but this

warrior was exceptional. A few seconds late and her bones would have crushed. Torro built a makeshift shelter and stood guard as Mary slept – all bruised up. It was a full moon. Past midnight she rose and came to be with her sentinel. Even at nights, her eyes glowed, and Torro stared at them. She invited him to sit close to her. He stood his ground, she retired to the rough grass bed. Then Torro heard a scream, he darted into the camp. A tarantula was walking on Mary’s chest, he grabbed it, crushed it and devoured it. Mary gave him a bear hug, Torro fell on her, he scrambled up but Mary pulled him back down. Those blue eyes mesmerised the man. He couldn’t resist the Scottish amorous overture, her heart fell for this young innocent man. Torro was lost not in the rhythms of love but those magnetic eyes, he kept staring at them as though hypnotised.

THE DEPARTURE As the Cessna took off with Mary, Torro hid behind the bushes with a sad heart. His beloved ‘blue-eyed beauty’ is leaving, and Mary too was love-sick. She left her heart in Konashen.

THE RETURN Completing her thesis in ornithology, she returned to Guyana to her heartbeat – Torro. She married him, adopted the Amerindian way of life and was happy.

The two races blended into euphoria. She became the mascot of the tribe. A daughter born to them was named Anaconda in memory of Torro’s bravery. Love knows no boundaries, follow thy heart.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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Guyana’s future in oil and gas

Nations University to introduce related academic programmes for students Dr. Brian O’Toole, Director of Nations University, who recently returned from Canada and Trinidad has reported having clinched deals with universities, colleges and training centres for entering into partnerships for Oil and Gas Training in Guyana.

Essentially he tells of having formulated a five-year plan for Technical Training in the areas of electrical, mechanical and operations management in response to the oil discoveries in Guyana.

Dr. O’Toole’s trip culminated a fortnight ago, with his receiving the Caribbean Award for Education from the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) in Trinidad. The award was presented to Dr. O’Toole by Guyanese High Commissioner to Trinidad, Mr. Bishwaishwar “Cammie” Ramsaroop.

But the overwhelming impression from the tour, Dr. O’Toole says, was the respect that exists for Guyana internationally and the huge potential for oil and gas to make a fundamental impact on this country. “The theme that permeated all the discussions was the need to establish readily available, internationally accredited training programmes for technicians to ensure Guyanese play a key role in the development, and not merely observe the changes from the sidelines,” Dr. O’ Toole said.

Excited about the prospects, Dr. O’Toole reported having found “every door open” on his visit to Trinidad.” He said a partnership is to be signed with Linda Mohamed, the Director of Trinizuela Vocational College (TTVC) . TTVC has been in operation in Trinidad and Tobago for more than 50 years and has graduated thousands of students in more than 50 City and Guilds courses in plumbing, masonry, electrical installations and other areas.

Part of that collaboration will also include a pre-engineering course aimed at students who have left school, with humble or no qualifications. This training will focus on: Mathematics, English, Employability Skills and Technical Training.

A course will also be developed for students in Forms Two, Three and Four to expose them in possible areas in the areas of technology and to help them move past the misconception that ‘studying technical subjects is for the non-academic students.’

A collaboration has also been established with Keeter Sutherland and their key persons Kuarala Rampersaul and Ganesh Ramsahai to introduce a series of short training Oil and Gas related courses at Nations in a variety of areas.

While there, Dr. O’Toole met with a major technical training company in Trinidad to explore the possibility of their developing a collaboration with Nations in the area of technical training.

CANADA Leaving Trinidad, he proceeded to Canada where he followed up leads developed from the visit of 26 persons from Canada who came to Guyana a couple weeks ago, hosted by the Canadian High Commission in Guyana.

In Calgary, he met with representatives of major Colleges and Universities to develop training partnerships. He was also

invited to visit the AER Core Research Centre where he was given a tour of the facilities that house core samples from drills throughout the province. Discussions were also held with the Canadian Petroleum Institute in Calgary to see the possible areas of collaboration.

Dr. O’Toole said there were follow-up meetings with training agencies in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. He also stopped in Toronto to sign two agreements with prominent Ontario schools.

PARTNER EXCHANGE VISITS Meanwhile, a group of London International Academy (LIA) now plans to receive a group of 14 students from Nations at the end of December, to partner with local students in developing STEM and Robotics training. The LIA students will, in turn, come to Nations next year to further develop this partnership.

Additionally, a partnership was signed with Nancy Campbell Academy in Stratford, Ontario. NCA is one of the top schools in Ontario. They focus, in particular, on the performing arts and the promotion of World Citizenship.

A team from NCA will come to Nations in January to work with students here to learn how to promote the performing arts.

The NCA team will then come to Nations in Easter and in the summer to present dance workshops throughout the country.

The final visit of Dr. O’Toole’s tour was to a training agency in Nova Scotia. This has led to a formal partnership with Nations to introduce a five-year technical training programme in Guyana, in the area of electrical, mechanical and operational areas. To formalise the partnership, the two directors of the training agency are due to Nations in late October.

The overwhelming impression from the tour, Dr. O’Toole says, was the respect that exists for

Guyana internationally and the huge potential for Oil and Gas to make a fundamental impact on this country.

The theme that permeated all the above discussions was the need to establish readily-available, internationally accredited training programmes for technicians to ensure Guyanese play a key role in the development, and not merely observe the changes from the sidelines.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

City Hall to return to former glory days … with launch of ‘Restoration Fund’

By Telesha Ramnarine

SOME describe City Hall as the ‘’Victorian Exuberance in time,’’ and others, as “the most handsome building in Georgetown.” At the moment, though, the building is falling apart and thus in need of major repairs.

In an effort to restore the building to its pristine state, the City Council wants to establish a ‘Restoration Fund’ that will be managed by a special civic committee, which will include corporate leaders, investors and other stakeholders.

Public Relations Officer at the municipality, Ms. Debra Lewis, offered that the idea is to begin a process that would “actively” engage stakeholders in the restoration process.

She said the M&CC is now in the process of working out the modalities with a view to launching the fund by mid-November.

Lewis said the Council will announce a special forum to invite local communities to participate in identifying the best possible approach to establish and manage the fund.

City Hall was designed by Ignatius Scoles, a trained architect and the foundation stone was laid by Governor Henry Turner Irving on December 23, 1887. The building was opened in July 1889 by Lord Gormanston.

Scoles had entered a competition to design City Hall and he won a prize of $50.

In a statement, Lewis described: “The building is an interpretation in wood, of the masonry construction ‘fancy dress’ style Gothic Revival Architecture, very prevalent during the Victorian era in Great Britain. The erection of a Town Hall was proposed on several occasions in the nineteenth century

City Hall’s building is in need of urgent repairs

but the Council lacked the financial resources.

“In 1871, it was proposed that the hall be built in front of the market (the previous Stabroek Market building) but another site was being sought at Church and Main Streets, where the National Library now strands.

“The site finally chosen was acquired from Mr. George Anderson Forshaw, who was Mayor of Georgetown on a number of occasions. On the site then was a ‘tumble down coffee logie’ used for dances. The periodic finds of old beer

bottles from that era lend credence to this legend.

“The tower is one of the main attractions of the building. Rising to a fourth floor, there are conical pinnacles at the upper corners.

This is decorated by four imaginary corned suspend supports. It is capped by square pyramidal flat-topped spire. This tower was probably intended as a lookout. A climb to the top, via steep ladders, is an adventure in itself. Evidence of such climbs is abundant in the many initials and dates carved into the timber at different heights.

“The hammer bean roof construction employed is typical of the medieval Gothic buildings in Britain (e.g. Westminster Hall 1394-1406) in London. It gives City Hall, in this case, a ceiling with three arches. The resultant complex of curves in different planes, break up the sound paths and allow for better acoustics in the hall.

“The high mahogany covered ceilings, long Demerara windows and shutter combine to, exude an air of freedom and yet of an intensely formal old-world elegance. It seduces and subtly draws and transforms you, as part of its hushed classical ambiance so that suddenly, you begin to wonder if the sounds you make are too loud, or what you might have done would debase its ambiance or if you are properly dressed for this place.

“Even the entrance to this third floor offers a drama of its own, by way of the stairway that on its way up, offers a first glimpse and then a fuller view of the beautiful mahogany ceiling. Ascending further brings into view completely, the Demerara windows and shutters and eventually the fully classical elegance of the Concert Hall.”

Nations given the 2017 Educational Development Award for the Caribbean DIRECTORS of Nations University, Guyana, Dr. Brian O’Toole and Mrs. Pamela O’Toole were bestowed with the prestigious 2017 Award for Educational Development in the Caribbean when the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP:

Trinidad Chapter) held their awards dinner in Trinidad.

The ceremony was held at the ballroom of Cara Suites Hotel and Conference Centre on October 6, 2017. The award for Nations University was handed over to Dr. Brian O’Toole

At the Awards ceremony: (From left: Ganesh Ramsahai, Representative for Nations in Trinidad;the Honourable Bishwaishwar Ramsaroop Maraj, High Commissioner from Guyana to Trinidad and Tobago and his wife; Dr. and Mrs. Brian O’Toole;and Keven Ramnarine, the former Minister of Natural Resources in Trinidad and Tobago.

by Guyana’s High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Hon. Bishwaishwar “Cammie” Ramsaroop.

Theirs was among five awards conferred at the ceremony. Other agencies that were recognised were: Mr. Ravi Haraksingh of Reliability Engineers; the Chairman’s Award to Bissundath Gokool; the Logistical Services Award to RAMP’s Logistics from Trinidad; the Leadership Award to Mr. RudolpT. Elias of Staatsolie in Suriname.

The feature address was given by Kevin Ramnarine, former Senator and Minister of

Energy and Energy Affairs in Trinidad and Tobago.

The awards ceremony was organised by Kuarlal Rampersaud, Vice President of Keeter Sutherland Ltd in collaboration with the SMRP programme in Houston, USA. SMRP was represented by the company’s International Director, Mr Jeff Shivers who flew in from USA for the event. It was also an opportunity for the SMRP programme to distribute certificates for participants on their Certified Training Instructor programme and CMRP Certification programme.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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Tribute to a true Guyanese hero THIS week has been an extremely sad one as our community lost one of its finest members. Mr. Clarence Young, the founder and coordinator of the Phoenix Recovery Project, passed away on Tuesday, October 24, 2017. He was a loving husband and father of two.

I would like to dedicate this piece to him and his invaluable work in Guyana.

Mr. Young was a pillar in the substance abuse field and is responsible for the recovery of hundreds of people. He was an inspiration to even more –myself included.

Although born and raised in Trinidad, Mr. Young was everything I love about Guyana. He was compassionate, understanding, inspiring and forgiving. He cared only about two things – to better the lives of every addict who entered the doors of Phoenix and to educate everyone else on addiction and how they can help.

He never did it for praise, recognition or support which is a good thing as he rarely received any from those he should have.

Mr. Young, a grateful recovering addict himself, was the most knowledgeable person about substance use and recovery in Guyana.

He taught me something new every time I spoke to him. I believe his own past gave him invaluable knowledge which he only used for good. When he successfully became sober in 1991 after years of illicit substance use, he decided to dedicate his life to helping others do the same. He started training to become a drug counsellor and studied addiction at the University of West Indies.

In 1995, Mr. Young was invited to Guyana to facilitate a drop-in clinic. Someone suggested that he make a more permanent move as there was not sufficient treatment for addiction at the time. Thankfully for us, he agreed and permanently moved to Guyana shortly after.

Upon his arrival, Mr. Young got involved with Guyana’s first structured drug rehabilitation treatment programme at Prashad’s Hospital. Then, in 1996, he designed and implemented the Salvation Army’s Drug treatment programme. In 2000, his own mission, Phoenix Recovery Project, opened its doors. It is an inpatient centre which means clients live at the facility and work together to become sober and

remain abstinent. Phoenix was awarded the Silver Medal of Service after they dedicated over 10 years to good public, government and industry service within our society. It is also the only inpatient centre which admits both men and women in Guyana. If one does not want to live in, they offer community meetings which anyone can attend on the fol-

hrs- 20:00hrs I have worked with Phoenix for more than four years and while I believe Mr. Young is Phoenix and Phoenix is Mr. Young, I know many people – of course, myself included- who will work tirelessly to ensure that the programme successfully lives on.

Based on his level of understanding and positivity, I know Mr. Young would have wanted me to talk about getting help. If you feel as though you, a friend or family member has a problem with drugs or alcohol, you/they are not alone. A substantial number of people in Guyana have issues with substance use and subsequently correlating mental illnesses or suicidal thoughts and behaviours. The first thing to do is accept that you may have a problem.

Do you often think about using drugs or alcohol?

Do you use it despite it interfers with your daily activities?

Do you become intoxicated most of the times you

lowing days: Alcoholics Anonymous: Tuesday’s 18:00 hrs- 19:30hrs Cocaine Anonymous: Thursday’s 18:00 hrs- 19:30hrs Narcotics Anonymous: Sunday’s 18:30

use?

Do you feel guilty when you do?

Have you lost interest in any activities that do not involve this substance use?

Has anyone ever expressed concern about your use?

If the answers to most of these are yes, then you may have a problem with your substance use.

If you do, please visit your nearest health centre and share your concerns. You can also come into GPHC, psychiatric clinic to see me or attend the available community health meetings.

Brickdam Presbytery Tuesdays – 19:30hrs-21:00hrs Fridays and Sundays- 18:30hrs - 20:00hrs These are group sessions where you can go and share your concerns with other individuals who have issues with drugs and alcohol.

Based on his level of forgiveness, I know Mr. Young would have wanted me to talk about relapses and not losing hope and faith.

If you have been attempting to become sober and having an issue doing so, you are also not alone. The average person will relapse (start back using the substance) three to five times before successfully quitting their substance of choice.

Mr. Young believed it is never too late for recovery with one of his favourite quotes being “To use is to lose.”

If anyone is interested in contacting Phoenix Recovery Project, you can do so at 220-6825 or visit 90 Block C Mon Repos.

I hope we all take today to remember Mr. Young for the invaluable work he did within our community and for his kind and inspiring nature. May we all do a good deed in his name today.

Gone but never ever forgotten Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Or come in to see me at: Georgetown Public Hospital: Psychiatric Department: Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department Drug and Alcohol group meetings - Mondays 16:15 hrs Good mental health group meetingsWednesdays 16:15 hrs Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896 Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

#SupportCreativity

Is a formal art education worth it FOR as long as art has been practiced there have always been arguments for and against formal art training. In recent years, however, this debate has intensified after steadily increasing costs have pushed tuition fees to as much as US$100,000 and even twice that amount in some cases. Now more than ever, persons are questioning the value of pursuing a BFA and/or MFA, particularly at a time when the creative field is saturated with thousands of talented and eager graduates year after year. Many are left wondering if the massive debt they’re saddled with so early in their career is even worth it.

Regardless of the cost, whether US$100,000 or US$10,000, the general consensus among most graduates is that even after completing their respective programmes, they still feel ill-equipped for the professional art world.

Some have even expressed utter regret in opting for formal training, insisting they could’ve learned those things on their own time and avoided the crippling debt altogether.

While others have agreed that the programmes could’ve done more to prepare them, they posited that the benefits of the programmes outweighed the shortcomings. So where does this leave someone who is considering formal art training?

This is the point where a serious kind of self-interrogation must happen.

Why do you want to pursue art? What is it you’re hoping to achieve in the long run? What kind of learner are you? How do you function in high-pressure situations? How strict are you with deadlines? How do you respond to critiques? How much are you willing to sacrifice to get what you want? How far do you want your work to go? These are just a few of the questions you should be asking yourself at this point.

Of course, these answers could (and most likely will) change as time goes by but they’re a good way to help figure out which option could work in your best interest. Give yourself enough room to change your mind with the understanding that situations change, people change and your vision for your life or work might also change. Have a plan but also be willing to throw that plan out the window when the time is right. Otherwise, you run the risk of putting yourself in an uncomfortable and unhappy situation.

So yes, there are quite a number of things to consider and since no two situations are the same it ultimately comes down to thoroughly assessing your own situation. Luckily for us here in Guyana, a decent art education costs but a

mere fraction of what our overseas peers would pay so there is no cause to worry about paying astronomical tuition fees.

However, at this point, some might be tempted to say, “You get what you pay for.” While in most cases this would ring true, it would be an unfair comparison to pit any local art institution against any art institution further afield. Of course, we don’t have the same access to information, materials, equipment and markets as our international contemporaries, but the training you do receive at the E.R. Burrowes School of Art is enough to give you a solid start. Having completed the Diploma programme myself (10 years ago) I would always encourage interested persons to enroll because the reality is that you pay pennies for the wealth of knowledge

and experience gained while studying there.

For those who would’ve completed the school’s programme and are wondering if pursuing a BFA is worth it, I would encourage you to think about the direction you’d like your work to take. If you only wish to develop/master a particular skill then perhaps enrolling in a full-time fouryear art programme might not be the best option, especially if there’s a hefty price tag attached. Instead, consider part-time specialised courses, workshops or apprenticeship opportunities that get straight to the topics you’re interested in. On the other hand, if your end game is to teach art at an institution, then a thorough art education is unavoidable. If you’re not quite sure which side of the road you’d like to

?

be on but you have access to funding then I’d say go for it, get that degree! One of the major advantages of opting for a more institutionalised form of art training is that you get instant access to a community of creative individuals, critics, curators, potential collectors etc. In a way, your decision to study art formally automatically gives you one foot in the door.

Now let’s say you already have your BFA and you’re now considering if an MFA is the right choice for you, then this is where things get a little trickier. Most MFA holders, when asked, would tell you the same thing “Only get it if you want to teach.” While this is a must for any art teacher (particularly overseas where the requirements are much stricter), there are benefits to pursuing an MFA for those who wish only to be full-time practicing artists. Perhaps foremost on the list would be the time you get to focus on developing your own style/signature/aesthetic, under the guidance of a few reputable artists/professors.

Some artists thrive in that kind of up-close and intense environment. Another reason some artists opt for an MFA is that they recognise that galleries/ collectors tend to pay more attention to their portfolio if they notice the name of a reputable grad school on their CV. On the other hand, there are artists who have accomplished a lot simply with a BFA, and others without even that.

In the end, my advice to anyone would be this: spend time researching grad schools and their faculty members to find the right fit for you, but spend more time researching scholarships and grants.

Grad schools are notoriously overpriced and borderline exploitative in some cases. I would never encourage anyone to go into massive debt for any kind of certification, especially when there are ways to circumvent said debt.

There are also thousands of free resources online that are designed to help creative practitioners in their respective fields, find them and take advantage of them.

Find ways to supplement the knowledge you already have, regardless if it was gained at an art institution or on your own. But keep in mind that while you can find almost anything on the Internet today free of cost, choosing a self-directed creative path won’t give you one crucial thing that a formal education would and that is access to the right audience. You will have to work twice as hard and twice as long to open half the doors if you choose to go at it on your own from start to finish.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

W o m e n

i n

a g r i c u l t u r e

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p a r t

f o u r

The lady behind Guyana’s mangroves-Kene Moseley-Boston IF you’ve ever spent time by the river or seawall in Guyana, you’ve probably noticed distinctive trees that rise from a tangle of roots wriggling out of the mud. These are mangroves - unique trees and shrubs that have adapted to the harsh saline conditions.

Mangroves protect vulnerable coastlines from wave action. They hold the soil together and prevent coastal erosion while supporting a rich biodiversity.

In recognition of the role of women in the agricultural sector, this week the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) will highlight Kene Moseley-Boston, the head of the Mangrove Restoration and Management Department.

Mrs. Boston has been working with the agency since 2010 highlighting the importance of mangroves

throughout the country. She has worked on mangroves restoration projects in Regions Two, Four, Five and Six. “I have a passion for the environment and working with the team at the Mangrove Department affords me the opportunity to contribute towards our national development and climate change adaptation strategy,” Boston said.

The former President College student completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Planning and Management at the University of Guyana and she is presently working on her Masters in the same field.

Quizzed on her choice to work in the agricultural sector, Boston said,

“Agriculture chose me. I started with the Guyana Mangrove Restoration in its early stages as the Admin/Finance Officer as a follow-up to my previous work with a similar EU-funded project

in Linden.

Initially, she said her focus was on Project Management and administration but by demonstrating excellence in her department, she was promoted to Project Coordinator.

She explained that the knowledge she gained while doing her Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Planning and Management, provides her with the technical skill to better understand and contribute to the sustainable development of Guyana’s urban areas.

“While my area of work may appear to only deal with the environment, how we plan will impact the state of this environment and given the geography of Guyana’s urban

development, mostly coastal, there is a direct impact on the environment,” Boston said.

She explained that a major part of her work at NAREI entails planning and understanding how the future development along the coast would impact existing mangroves areas, and how NAREI’s restoration interventions would impact the existing environment.

“Restoring coastal mangroves reduce the potential for overtopping which reduces the saltwater intrusion on agricultural lands,” the head for Mangroves said.

Her team at NAREI coordinates and plans interventions aimed at restoring mangroves along Guyana’s coast. This also involves the development of interventions to increase awareness and educate the public about the importance of mangroves.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

Guyanese Art works on display in New York City

By Francis Quamina Farrier A number of Guyanese Artists are painting New York City red, white and blue and every other hue. I discovered this when I recently checked out two art exhibitions

by Guyanese artists in New York City. In fact, the two exhibitions were held in the Borough of Manhattan, in “The City that never sleeps”.

The first of the current Guyanese Art Exhibitions which I checked out, was a one-man exhibition by veteran artist, Carl Anderson, which was held at the Port Authority Building at 42nd Street and Ninth Avenue in Mid-town Manhattan.

The journey from Georgetown to New York was a long and exciting one for the talented artist. A graduate of the E.R. Burrowes School of Art, Carl has resided in neighbouring Venezuela for 13 years, where he developed a solid base of clients from many parts of the world.

His works have been commissioned by art collectors worldwide, including Guyana.

Some years ago, I reported on television, on an impressive piece of Anderson’s artwork depicting the Public Buildings, which was commissioned by then-Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Ralph Ramkarran.

The TV coverage included footage of the artist putting the finishing touches to the artwork at his Durban Street, Georgetown studio, to its arrival at the office of Mr. Ramkarran on the top floor of the West Wing of the Public Buildings,and on-camera comments by the Speaker as regards the painting, which even though brand new, was given touches to make it appear to be vintage as requested. It was one of those news reports which I thor-

A section of the Carl Anderson Art Exhibition at the Port Authority in Mid-town Manhattan, New York City.

(Photo by Francis Quamina Farrier)

regularly; Brooklyn-based 67-year-old Carl Hazlewood, migrated from his homeland, many years ago. The youngest of the artists whose work is included in the exhibition is Dominique Hunter, who was born in Guyana 30 years ago. Another artist and photographer is 44-year-old Guyanese, Michael Lam, of Georgetown.

It is seven years since the death of the celebrated Guyanese artist and sculptor, Donald Locke, 1930-2010, but his artworks were also on display in the exhibition. The late, great Donald Locke, worked in his native Guyana as well as in the United Kingdom and the United States, where he was well established.

The name of 68-year-old artist, Andrew Lyght, was well-known in the art world of Guyana, before he migrated, first to Canada, then to the USA. Like Andrew Lyght, 44-year-old Suchitra Mattai, first migrated from her native Guyana to Canada in 1976, then later transitioned to the USA. Born in Guyana 43 years ago, Mason Richards is now based in Los Angeles in the USA, where he

oughly enjoyed producing.

Artworks by Carl Anderson are on display at The National Art Gallery, Castellani House, on Vlissengen Road, in Georgetown.

His works are also on display in the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Italy, Malta, the USA and Venezuela among others.

The other current Art Exhibition in Manhattan, New York City, has on display the works of 15 Guyanese artists. It is being held at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), on 125th Street, East Harlem, in Uptown Manhattan.

CCCADI promotes itself as, “The leading African Diaspora Cultural Arts Institution and

“We Meet Here” by Dominque Hunter

“Devotion Point” (Bushy Park, Parika) by Michael Lam

Learning Center in New York, providing critical free or low-cost public programming and arts education services to tens of thousands of people annually.” It was founded in 1976.

The Guyanese artists whose works are on exhibition, were either born in British Guiana/ Guyana, or born abroad of Guyanese parents.

Let’s meet them now; Kwesi Abbensetts who is from the Corentyne, is 41 years old and has been residing in the US for a number of years; Daniel Abrams, 38 years of age, is a New York-born daughter of a Guyanese; Canadian-born Khadija Benn, 31, grew up in Linden and Georgetown; Victor Dawson was born in British Guiana 69 years ago. He migrated to the USA in 1973 and is based in New Jersey.

The very, well-known veteran artist, Stanley Greaves, AA, was born in British Guiana 83 years ago and was based both in Barbados and the USA for many years, he visits Guyana

does his artwork.

Another of the young artists is 31-yearold, Karran Sahadeo, who is classified as being multi-media as she works with painting and photography. Born in the USA of Guyanese parents, 42-year-old Keisha Scarville works out of Brooklyn. And we round off with, 69-year-old multi-disciplinary artist Arlington Weithers who was born in British Guiana in 1948 and now based in New York.

The curator of the Caribbean Cultural Centre African Diaspora Institute is Guyanese-born, Grace Aneiza Ali. The CCCAD gallery is located at 120 East 125 Street in Harlem. It states that it, “envison[s] a world that values and embraces a rich legacy of diverse African cultures.” To that objective, Guyanese artists are making a sterling contribution.

folklore

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

THE PECULIAR ORDER OLD man Takur was a brilliant cabinet maker. In fact, he was the only one in the village with that essential skill.

He loved his trade and built furniture to perfection. He only sold perfectly crafted woodwork. He was in heavy demand, not only in Bramble Walk but in all the nearby communities.

One day as he worked, he got a brilliant idea: he could be a coffin maker. He immediately began creating magnificent caskets. People came from near and far to buy his masterpiece.

The trade was turning out to be more lucrative than he could ever imagine.

Late one evening he was visited by a very rich old man. By the man’s clothing and attitude Takur realised he was well off.

“I want to order your best casket. I will pay any price,” the man said.

“Very well,” Takur responded.

The craftsman went to work pouring all his skill and energy into his new creation. Each evening the visitor arrived to check on Takur’s progress. The gentleman glowed in approval. The project was going better than he had expected.

On day, a family arrived from another village and ordered a tomb for their loved one.

One look at the young man and Takur could clearly see his resemblance to the rich old gentleman.

“I think your father has already ordered a casket,” Takur said.

He showed them his finished masterpiece.

“He specifically ordered blue interior, said it was his favourite colour. He has already paid half in advance. You only have to pay the remainder,” Takur said.

The young man and his mother were in a state of shock.

This new development worried Takur. He enquired of them what the problem was. The woman sat down heavily. With tears in her eyes, she pulled a family album from her handbag. Flipping through the pages she found the one she was looking for.

“Is this the man who made the order?” she asked in a voice that held an obvious tremor, “Yes! Definitely!” Takur said.

Takur looked at the photograph of the old man and smiled.

The man had been an elegant but pleasant client.

“But that’s impossible!” were the words that rushed from the lips of the shocked woman.

“Why. Something wrong?”

Takur was getting more and more worried.

“Yes! He’s dead,” the woman said.

Takur could not believe his ears.

“How long ago did he order this casket?’

This question came from the son.

“Five days ago. He came that evening,” Takur explained.

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By Neil Primus

The mother and son looked at each other in alarm.

“What’s the matter?” enquired a shocked Takur.

“You see, five days ago he was involved in a horrific accident. The doctors fought to save his life. He slipped into a coma. We were given the option of pulling the plug because he was just a vegetable. We unplugged the apparatus four hours

ago,” the woman said.

Takur took a week off after that incident.

When he re-opened his doors the sign over the door had been changed. It read: “Joiner/Cabinet Maker. Only household furniture made.”

I couldn’t blame the man.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

The impact of climate change on the fisheries sector

By M. Margaret Burke

the Fisheries Sector.’

On that occasion, the Agriculture Minister IN recent times a number of fishermen said: “We know the challenging nature of the have been reporting that most of the fish profession and unfortunately while we overthey catch for sale have gone further out at come most of them, new and emerging chalsea, and so, they seem to feel that climate lenges appear. One such challenge is climate change and the uncertain weather condi- change. I am sure all would have heard about tions may have something to do with this. this and the varying reactions worldwide.

In a recent interview with the Pepperpot “We have been hearing about climate Magazine, the Chief Fisheries Officer, Mr change and its effects globally. Of course, Denzil Roberts said that it is true that fish- these effects will impact on Guyana and ermen in Guyana are spending more time at its economic activities. Make no mistake; sea on every trip and even venturing further climate change is real and present. We in out at times. “It is noted that climate change Guyana have cause for worry, as we are a can modify the environment in which fishes vulnerable nation with our low lying coast live and can cause their migration, which and tropical rainforest that can be impacted can cause migration of fish stocks,” he said. negatively by adverse climate conditions,” “Whilst this can be a factor, other factors that he noted, while stating that the Fisheries can cause this are the increased number of sector of Guyana plays a vital role in ending

Fishermen exhibiting a large catch of fish as others look on

fishers, modification and/or the introduction of new fishing methods and overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.”

He went on to say that any physical or chemical factor that is different to the environment that marine resources live in will cause an effect. Additionally, he said that the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean have caused damages to the boats and equipment and possible fishing areas within the areas affected. This, of course, will affect the harvesting of fish in those areas, Mr Roberts posited.

FISHER FOLKS DAY 2017 The Chief Fisheries Officer drew attention to the recently concluded Fisher Folks Day in which the Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, in his discourse with fishermen, spoke about the seriousness of climate change which they were experiencing. The theme was ‘Climate Change Adaptation of

hunger, achieving food security, improving basic nutrition and the socio-economic stability of many Guyanese, both directly and indirectly. These attributes of the sector are at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

THE THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE According to the Minister, “Climate change threatens our ability to achieve global food security, eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development. Climate change in the aquatic ecosystems is severe and widespread.

“The impacts of climate change, variability and extreme weather events are compounding threats to the sustainability of capture fisheries and aquaculture development in marine and freshwater environments.

Ensuring food security in the face of climate change is among the most daunting challengTurn to page XIX ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017 ◄◄◄ From page XVIII

es facing humankind,” he said.

The Minister posited that while some of the problems associated with climate change are emerging gradually, action is urgently needed now to allow the aquatic ecosystem to adapt and become resilient over time.

Fish catch decline by 2050 The ocean and the aquatic ecosystems are keys to regulating our world’s climate, as it is the largest natural carbon sink. However, the ocean is currently absorbing carbon at an alarming rate and the results lead to the acidification, which in turn transforms the aquatic ecosystem, the minister told the gathering of fishers.

He said that by the year 2050, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that catches of main fish species will decline by 40 percent in the tropics. The impact of climate change on the fisheries sector are likely to occur as a result of changes in the air and sea temperature, ocean currents, rising sea levels, wind patterns and extreme climate events, including flooding, hurricanes, etc.

These changes will not only affect the fish but will have social and economic consequences for the people dependent on the fisheries sector, the Minister said.

As a result of climate change, the fisheries sectors can be impacted the following way or area: The production and ecology of fish stocks may see a decrease in species abundance, composition and distribution.

These, in turn, will directly affect production and yield.

Climate change, which is said to threaten the very livelihood of the fishers and many others who depend on the fisheries sector as a source of income.

In terms of infrastructure such as landing lists, processing plants and aquaculture ponds, he said that these are threatened by the rising sea level, flooding and an increase in the level of salinity in our fresh water supply.

Additionally, the increase fishery operation effort will be greatly impacted due to fishers having to travel further offshore and increasing their catching effort to maintain yield.

Then the economy, he posited will be affected as a result of a reduction of export of fish and related products and the national economic development may be greatly affected.

EMBRACE CLIMATE CHANGE The Minister urged fishers to embrace the theme of Fisherfolk Day which ensures that adaption and mitigation are on-going social learning processes that integrate policies, strategies and scientific knowledge from national, regional and international communities.” It is important, he said, “that we continue to develop methods, tools and approaches for climate change assessment and adaptation.”

At the folk day, the Minister told the fishers, “Though we are small in size we must play our part in helping to reduce the advance of climate change.”

He said that playing our part means not throwing litter in the oceans and waterways, especially plastics, also avoid spillage of chemical and fuels; Use climate-smart fishing gear and technology that reduce the impact on the marine life and reduce our carbon footprint. These and other measures will ensure that we can benefit from incentives and other forms of help to further reduce our impacts on the environment.

Minister Holder said that in an effort to mitigate effects of climate change on the fisheries sector certain measures can be adapted, such as the establishment of marine and coastal protected areas through management and planning for the protection of breeding ground for fish stock.

He said that there must also be an increased access for fishers to have technical, financial and material resources to assist where necessary; and there must also be the development and implementation of management systems for our marine resource, which will involve local communities in the protection and conservation of the fish stock.

Sequentially he said, this will enhance the fishers’ knowledge on the potential effect of climate change.

The minister made it known to the fishers that during the coming years the administration will be proceeding with these and other measures so, “You can become more responsible fishers and be able to guarantee that the marine resources will be there for a long time to come.” (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)

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‘Music without borders’ 20

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

Mark Batson promotes reggae album

By Telesha Ramnarine

The cover for his new Reggae album

Mark Lester Batson

GUYANESE singer/songwriter Mark Lester Batson, who hails from Buxton, on the East Coast Demerara, is busy promoting his first Reggae album, “Music without Borders”.

Though it was released since June, the 32-yearold singer doesn’t know for sure when he would officially launch the album as he wants to ensure that sufficient time is afforded to his fans to get to know his music so that they can thoroughly enjoy the launching party.

Although he gained some popularity singing Soca music, Mark said he decided to do a Reggae album, based on his personal life experiences, as he felt he can more effectively express himself in this genre of music.

The local singer is calling for the return of copyright laws

reggae content,” he expressed.

Mark, whose music is managed by Vizion Sounds Recording Company, is set on pursuing music to the highest level possible. “The sky is the limit. Wherever music takes me, I will go,” he said.

Mark describes his songs as clean music that anyone in the family, including young children, can enjoy.

He is grateful for the help he has been receiving from others as he continues to pursue his career, especially from his team that works behind the scenes, and from The Heatwave Band for which he is the lead singer.

Mark is also advising young and upcoming artistes to hold on to their dreams. “It’s not an easy journey, but it’s one that you shouldn’t trade,” he said.

“It’s about most of the stuff I passed through in day to day life. Part of the album has to do with culture, and the other, about relationship struggles,” Mark expressed about the album during an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine.

He spoke in the company of Harry Parker, a member of Vizion Sounds Recording Company, in charge of road management and promotions.

CLEAN MUSIC Mark, who said he began his music career at just five years old, credits his mom, Bridget Blair Nelson, as the founder of the music in him.

He recalls that while growing up, several members of his family, including his mom, dad, sister and uncle, pursued music in some form. Fueling his interest in music was also the church choir and the school competitions that he participated in.

“I used to do Soca. More people would’ve known me singing Soca, but then as you grow and mature, you see things different and your lifestyle becomes different. I say to people my music isn’t just to sing a song but to spread a message, and I feel I can deliver that message more in the

COPYRIGHT Mark is not entirely satisfied with what is being done for local artistes and is calling on the government to work on copyright laws.

“There’s so much more to be done. In terms of our music going somewhere, we need our government to actually come on board and enforce that copyright law.

If we don’t have that copyright law, we are losing; we are always at a losing end,” he said.

Due to the absence of such laws, Mark observed how people who pirate their work actually end up benefitting more than them financially.

“The talent is there; the work, production and quality are there. Artistes will take their music to the limit to get it done. If we have to send it to Jamaica, around

the world, then we would, just to make sure the quality is right. But when it comes back, they struggle to sell the CDs and then someone carbon copies it and sell it for $200 after you spent so much money getting it done. At the end of the day, the persons who don’t do the work benefit the most,” the artiste said.

Mark also called on the Guyanese population to support and respect their local artistes.

Mark (stooping) with members of the Heatwave Band

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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PNC/R Georgetown District hosts exhibition

THE People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) Georgetown District, hosted an exhibition at City Hall recently in celebration of the party’s 60thanniversary.

Office Manager Ms. Monica Thomas, also a city councillor, told the Pepperpot Magazine that the exhibition was the Georgetown District’s contribution to the list of activities that are ongoing for the entire month of October.

In an invited comment, Thomas said the exhibition featured a tent from the Ministry of Social Protection, as well as ‘Lindeners’ who came to Georgetown to display their leather craft and so forth. Farmers and others were also able to display their local produce.

Furthermore, a literature booth featured information and pictures from as far back as when former President Forbes Burnham died.

An exhibition by the PNC/R Georgetown District to celebrate the party’s 60th Anniversary

Persons were able to showcase their local produce

Office Manager, Ms. Monica Thomas

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

Part 2

Environmental Guidelines for Poultry Rearing

IN this week’s article, we continue to look at the EPA’s Environmental Guidelines for Poultry Rearing. As was stated in last week’s article, poorly managed poultry rearing operations can result in odour nuisance, water and land pollution and lead to human health conditions of the skin, eye and ear.

Additionally, waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea can be caused by polluted water emanating from poultry rearing facilities.

Hence, the relevance of these guidelines.

PREVENTING DISEASES Diseases can enter a facility through new animals, on equipment or people and can weaken or kill birds.

Poultry manure and carcasses also contain pathogens which can affect human health. To reduce diseases, the followings tips should be considered. ● Store feed properly to prevent wild birds such as sparrows, crows, etc., from interacting with it. ● Quarantine new animals before they mix with the

existing population. * Wash and disinfect equipment, e.g., crates, clothing, before entering livestock zones. ● Vehicles that go from farm to farm should have special precautions such as limiting their operation to special areas, spraying of tires and treating parking areas with disinfectants. ● Have a veterinarian carry out regular checks on the animals for parasites and other disease vectors. Any sick birds should be kept away from the healthy ones and systems for the proper removal and disposal of dead birds should be put in place. ● Where possible, establish all-in and all-out systems with only one age group farm. On farms with multiple-aged birds, workers should always work with the youngest first before moving on the older birds. Workers should be trained on how to apply animal health products. ● No slaughtering should be done on site, unless approved by the Environmental Health Officer of the NDC/ RDC. HANDLING CONDEMNED CARCASSES While death can be reduced

through proper animal care and disease prevention, it is inevitable that a few birds will die. In such cases, carcasses need to be properly managed and quickly disposed of in order to prevent the spread of diseases and odours and to avoid the attraction of organisms that can spread disease. ● Collect carcasses regularly to prevent decay. ● Carcasses should be buried on property owned by the owner or at a site approved by the relevant authorities, e.g., NDC. ● The area for burial should be at least 100 metres away from houses and water resources. The area should be stable, clay soil and burial should be deep enough to avoid disruption by animals such as dogs, vultures, etc.

When burying carcasses, use lime to eliminate odours and assist in making the carcass decompose faster. ● If carcasses are to be burnt, this should only be done in permitted facilities operating under national and/or international standards. ● Persons handling carcasses should be properly equipped with protective clothing such as gloves, long boots, respirator, apron and other safety gear. ● Disease-free carcasses

may be used for animal feed.

MANAGING WASTEWATER Wastewater can be generated from cleaning pens and while feeding water to birds.

Manage wastewater by applying the following: ● Prevent overflow of watering devices to reduce spilling of water. ● Install plants that can act as filters to absorb and trap sediments around surrounding trenches or pond, e.g., vetiver grass. ● Maintain a good drainage system around the holding house. Drains for rain water should be diverted to avoid the contamination of rain water. ● Treat wastewater before releasing it into the environment.

Wastewater can be treated in one of the following ways: ● Sedimentation using settling ponds, e.g., black tanks or constructed lagoons. ● Bio-digesters to treat the sludge and produce biogas. ● Dewatering of residuals and using wastewater treatment residuals in compost or as fertiliser.

Controlling air emissions ● Apply chemicals to litter weekly to reduce conversion of nitrogen to ammonia. ● Using aluminium sulphate

(alum) is recommended.

Alum can be applied to poultry litter when changed, at a rate equivalent to 5-10% the weight of manure. Where possible, manure can also be used in compost to reduce odour emissions. ● Collect dust: To prevent dust emissions, areas where dust will be created, e.g., feed grinding, should have systems in place to collect dust. ● Dirt roads should be wet frequently to control dust. ● When wire mesh is used for the construction of pens, the sides exposed to neighbouring residences should be blocked to prevent dust from affecting residents.

Managing hazardous waste Pesticides need to be managed carefully to prevent pollution and health hazards. ● Ensure there are systems to keep out pests, e.g., plug holes, seal gaps around doors and windows, use traps, barriers, etc. This will help to reduce the amount of pesticides needed. ● Control pests by using natural predators. ● Practice good housekeeping in pens and other facilities to prevent the breeding of pests. ● Improve drainage to control mosquitoes. ● Assess whether or not the

use of pesticides are necessary and the impact they have on the environment. ● Choose the pesticide that has the least negative impact.

WHO NEEDS AN ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION? Remember, if you plan to set up or are operating a poultry rearing operation with more than 500 fowls, then you need to apply to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for an Environmental Authorisation.

The application fee for an Environmental Authorisation is USD$50.00 and is payable to the EPA. We advise all poultry operators to take these Guidelines into consideration. If you are operating without a permit, we advise you to visit our office. Additionally,you can find the complete Guidelines on our website: www. epaguyana.org.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit. epaguyana@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Florida International Trade and Cultural Expo LAST week I attended a very high calibre expo in Florida.

The Florida International Trade and Cultural Expo (FITCE) exceeded my expectations. I must thank Mr Wesley Kirton for inviting me to participate as an exhibitor and Mr Dale Holness and team for an event well executed.

The University of Guyana, Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce, Roraima Airways and, Suriname Airways also participated. From October 17-18, Broward County and all of South Florida welcomed local and international companies for a unique opportunity to engage key leaders, experts and attendees from around the world, to participate in dialogues relating to international trade, foreign direct investment and culture. The goal of FITCE is to expand Broward County as the premier importing and exporting trading capital while helping to establish new businesses and nurture existing businesses to spur continued growth.

The event had exhibitors and dignitaries from many countries including Former Presidents. Some of them were, His Excellency Álvaro Colom, former President of Guatemala; His Excellency Carlos Mesa, former President of Bolivia; the Honourable Erwin Contreras, Minister of International Trade and Petroleum for Belize; the Honourable John Kwet Mwan Kwet, Minister of International Relations of the Democratic Republic of Congo; The Honourable Bienvenue Liyota Nzoli, Minister of Small & Medium Businesses, Democratic Republic of Congo; The Honourable Ngoie Kasongo, Minister Emmanuel Ngoie Kasongo, Minister of External Affairs for the Democratic Republic of Congo; The Honourable Ferdinando Munóz, Mayor of Montebello, Colombia; The Honourable Gaynell Rolle, Under Secretary of Finance for the Bahamas, The Honourable Delroy Williams,

Mayor of Kingston, Jamaica;The Honourable Manuel Masías, former Mayor of Miraflores, Peru; and other mayors, consul generals, deputy consuls, trade commissioners and bi-national chambers from 50 countries.

It was an honour to represent Guyana at this prestigious event but I expected to see more businesses using an event like this for advancement. I was proud to sit in the audience during Mr Kirton’s excellent presentation. He really sold Guyana and had many people engaging him with queries regarding different sectors of business. We have so much to offer as a country but also lots of missed opportunities. I made some excellent connections that already have things in motion for meaningful collaborations and this event is already on my 2018 calendar and I would love to see a bigger Guyanese presence.

I was exhausted after the two days because I had very little sleep in the 48 hours so the 19th was a relaxing day. You guys will probably laugh at me when I share this story because I did that. I was relaxing in the back seat enjoying the scenery as we made our way to the Marina to join some friends. I saw a breath-taking view of what I thought was a very beautiful park. Flowers, trees, benches and well-manicured lawns in a relaxing atmosphere. ”What a beautiful big park”, I said and Mr Kirton notified me that it was a cemetery and my response was well this is a place to die for lol.

My thoughts went to our Le Repentir and other cemeteries in Guyana and the horrible state they are in. Imagine that that’s the last resting place for your loved one and you can’t even be proud to visit. From all the cemeteries I have seen, ours is by far in the worst condition. I heard that there are people who are interested in private cemeteries and hopefully that will materialise in the near

Beyond the Runway with Dr. Sonia Noel

... Inspiring lives through fashion future. When my dogs died I was devastated that I could not bury them in a pet cemetery because none are available. Then reality stepped in and I realised that we don’t have a decent cemetery for humans much less animals. People say that you can measure how civilised a country is by the way it treats its dead. Judging by that yardstick, it would seem Guyana is not very civilised at all.

Trust you all had a great weekend and looking forward to a greater week ahead.

Send us a message to beyondtherunway1@gmail.com and visit the FB page as we continue this beautiful journey call life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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Music is more than enjoyment – Son of talented Guyanese musical entertainers charts his own course

By Ravena Gildharie STANTON Joshua Duff is a young songwriter and singing sensation promoting his music under the name Tactyle. His passion for music knows no boundaries, and while most persons with such talent are eager to impress promoters and land lucrative record labels, Tactyle is simply focused for now on enjoying his music and creating songs that can connect with people in the warmest of ways.

“You can say music is in my genes,” Tactyle said with a chuckle during an exclusive interview with the Pepperpot Magazine. Both of his parents, Candace Mercedes Field and Stanley Duff, better known as ‘Busta’ who operates his own ‘One Man Band,’ are well-known Guyanese musical entertainers.

Candace is famous for her talent to take any stage by storm as she artistically belts out the highest notes during her covers of Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey songs, but many would recall that she was also known locally for cover renditions of many of Celine Dion’s most difficult songs.

She frequently sings with the Majestic Band at the Pegasus Hotel on weekends and at varying times independently at other private functions and public events. Meanwhile, Tactyle’s father, the older Duff, who is more drawn to reggae, soca and oldies, still performs his band in New York and New Jersey where he now resides.

Tactyle migrated with his dad when he Tactyle and his dad, Stanley Duff in New York a few years ago

Stanton Joshua Duff ‘Tactyle’

promoted on local airwaves. Tactyle has been doing a series of radio interviews and public appearances to popularise his song.

The young singer/songwriter is already working on other songs that are to be released shortly. In the meantime, he does local performances at public and private functions and events with the Majestic Band, and at the Pegasus and Princess Ramada hotels during their live weekend entertainment shows.

“Growing up as a child I saw both of my parents singing and going about their music separately but, I was never really interested up until I was about

was 11 but, even now at age 19, the young man still seems fondly grounded to his homeland, Guyana. Currently, he is in the country promoting his first song “Love yuh Girl,” which he wrote and released this past summer. It is an R&B/reggae fusion with lyrics that describe the varying feminine personalities to which young men are attracted. The song was released on social media and is also being

age nine or 10 when my mom bought me an iPod shuffle,” Tactyle stated. His passion for music quickly escalated, and with the support of both parents, his experience keeps growing in the industry. He can now also write and produce his own music since he is skilled in the engineering of sounds and vocals.

He can play the keyboard well and has a good understanding of one of the structural pillars of music- harmonywhich is the simultaneous sounding of three or more notes making up what are called chords.

“I am just about enjoying my music. I love it and I see myself continuing it, and if it is meant to take me further, it will happen.

If I am destined to reach great heights in my music, I will, but for now, I am putting my all into and enjoying it,” Tactyle indicated.

CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE THROUGH MUSIC He was born and raised in Georgetown and lived briefly with his mother on the East Bank of Demerara before he migrated to the United States. Almost every summer, he flies back to Guyana where he enjoys working with his friends and associates on producing more music. Tactyle recently attended the

Medgar Evers College in New York studying for his Associate Degree in Liberal Arts.

When not writing songs and making music, he enjoys family time with his mom, twin brothers, and one baby sister.

The name, Tactyle, he explains is specifically crafted from the word, tactile, translating to tangible. “Just like the meaning of the word, something that can be touched, I want my music to touch and connect with people,” the young singer related. So far, he has been impressed by the response, encouragement and support that his music has been attracting from the public.

For his mom, Candace, it is delightful and natural that Tactyle is following in his parents’ footsteps. She noted that he has inherited a fusion of passion for the different genres of music his parents perform even soul and R&B, which she enjoys. Candace and ‘Busta’ were both members of the Sherriff Deputies Band which reigned supreme in the local entertainment industry during the 1990s.

With the band, Candace toured various countries including Canada and Brazil, while performing at various private and public events/functions across Guyana too.

However, though she

Tactyle resides in New Jersey and Guyana

has made quite a name for herself in the entertainment industry and has released at least two music videos of her own, Candace never advanced her musical career fulltime. She developed professional capabilities in the English and Communications fields and holds a Bachelor’s Degree. She related that singing is only done now as a hobby. She also enjoys foreign languages especially Spanish. Dubbed ‘the singing baby’ in her family, Candace always had a passion for singing. She made her debut public appearance at age 16 when she competed and won the ‘Guyana Star Search 1993’. The prize was $30, 000 and a trophy and it propelled her to national fame as a talented singer; a feature she still maintains to this day.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

‘Not afraid to try anything that can grow’

Anna Bridgelall and her farming ambitions

By Wendella Davidson AS a young girl growing up in Speightland, an Amerindian community in Mackenzie, Anna Bridgelall always had a penchant for planting.

And so, while every family in the community, including her father, concentrated on planting the staple dish, cassava, Anna took a small portion of her family plot and started a kitchen garden to supplement the family needs. But then “as the times got hard”, this now 54-year-mother of six children and grandmother to 10, told the Pepperpot Magazine, that it was during that period that she “tried her In these pictures, compliments hand” at selling some of the of PROPEL, Anna Bridgelall is excess produce to other famiseen on her farm tending to her lies in the community. produce, poultry and animals “I was surprised at how quickly the excess vegetables went off my hand,” she said, and bouyed by the success and customers in both the Linden the fact that “the little bit of money I got helped out”, Anna and Wismar municipal marsaid she began planting in earnest and it was no longer just kets, and also supplies some a hobby. established food business with And as if luck was on her side, a team from Partners of her produce. She boasts that the Americas visited the community to sensitise and assist her produce is grown using interested residents on how to acquire a loan from the organ- organic methods. isation to boost their respective farming venture, as well as, In addition to the initial assist with some technical `know-how’.

Green House which measures At that time too, Anna was trying her hand at rearing pigs 24 x 18 feet and is used as a and the Partners representative discussed with her the idea nursery, this `dare to be bold’ of setting up as a bio-digester, so she can utilise the manure woman farmer acquired a from the pig pen and convert it to gas. The knowledge that loan from the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED) and has constructed a larger Green House measuring 100 x 40 feet.

the gas can be can also be used for cooking got Anna excited.

And, even though Anna did not borrow the money from Partners, she was still able to set up her bio-digester, which brought even more success to her business. So successful is her venture that Anna is now cultivating lettuce and celery on a large scale in shade houses using the hydroponic method. She occupies less than acre of land for her business which now so established that she has regular

Declaring that “she is not afraid to try anything that can grow”, Anna has through the help of the Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages (PROPEL), has embarked into a new area, that of growing onions. PROPEL is an organisation which seeks to strengthen agro-processing in Guyana and has been of tremendous help to the young farmers in terms of technical advice.

Said Anna, during her one on one with the Pepperpot Magazine: “I never thought that onions could grow in Guyana, so I am very excited. My first crop did not come out good, for lots of reasons including bad weather, but I am determined and with help from PROPEL I now have a second crop that, so far, is going well,” she said. In addition, she also rears ducks, sheep and cows on a small scale.

Anna, like the other farmers, Ayodele Sampson and Dextor Southwell, who were previously featured in the Pep-

perpot Magazine, has showered praises on PROPEL for their unwavering support and technical assistance.

Anna was born at Pourderoyen on the West Bank of Demerara to Eugenie DeFreitas and the late Pancham, but was schooled at Mackenzie Primary, Linden Foundation and Linden Technical Institute after her parents moved to live at Lot 126 Speightland, Mackenzie.

She initially worked for about eight years with the Post Office before venturing out as a self-employed farmer and, according to her “I definitely have no regrets.” She wishes, though, that she can get another portion of land so she can further expand her business.

Ruqayyah Boyer follows singing dreams Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

IN the world of pageantry, the term ‘Big Four’ has often been used to represent the four biggest beauty pageants in the world: Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth. In 2008, however, that all changed, with the addition of Miss Supranational, the newest international pageant that has been making waves since its inception eight years ago.

For the second year since the establishment of the pageant, Guyana will hopefully be represented on this international stage, and have chosen Ruqayyah Boyer as the title holder. However, after much deliberation, Ruqayyah – who has been crowned Miss Guyana Universe 2012, Miss World Guyana 2013 and the Miss International Guyana 2014- has decided to hang up her pageant crowns and pursue her true passion of music.

The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with Ruqayyah in an exclusive interview to gain insight on all the factors that influenced her decision, the importance of following her passion, and her hope to find a suitable delegate who will represent Guyana at the Miss Supranational 2017 pageant in Poland come December 2017.

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planet in the blink of an eye so I take nothing for granted.

I think each human being is different and so are their priorities, so I believe people should just do whatever makes them happiest, or at least work toward achieving that space of joy because I truly believe we’d be a greater planet if happiness reigned.

For the most part, I’m a very private person when it comes to my life but I’d share this much as I feel strongly about the subject of passion and chasing your dreams regardless. In 2015 after competing in the 2014 edition of Miss International in Japan I was in a really a bad place mentally and got severely depressed and suicidal. I had to go into therapy because the lows I faced in the world of pageantry had finally taken its toll on me. I remember taking a year off to travel the world and rediscover myself because there was a huge void and hurt from the disappointments and feeling of failure after three attempts at international titles. All the hard work and time that I had invested at that time just seemed to be for nothing. I recall one evening in New York I was having a meltdown because I gave up the security of an eventual legal career to pursue the path I was on. One of my best friends called and we got to discussing my passions, like the reason I even began pageantry, it was never about winning an international crown or title but at some point, I got distracted and it became that, causing me to get lost. After we spoke, she said to me ‘Your passion is practical. Don’t give up, you’ve come this far so don’t give up.’

As simple as that statement was, I held on to it and it helped me through the past three years. Today, I’m more in alignment with what I’ve always wanted to do and one step closer to my ultimate goals because I followed what I was most passionate about, and I enjoy life even more now without any regrets. I’m not where I hope to be as yet but I’m genuinely enjoying the journey and am comforted in the spirit of knowing that the best is still yet to come.

Respectfully turns down Miss Supranational Guyana title

WHAT WERE THE MAIN REASONS BEHIND YOUR DECISION TO DECLINE THE TITLE? Denying myself the opportunity to fulfill what I initially considered a dream was gut-wrenching to say the least and not a decision I made lightly. Several factors influenced my decision, and the current pursuit and focus on my musical ambitions was a predominant one.

There is also the issue of cost/investment. Additionally, I have come to the realisation that I’ve outgrown my passion for pageantry, and my overarching long-term goals extend to other areas.

Usually, I’m someone who is committed to anything I become involved with to the very end, but from the onset of the request to partake [in the pageant], my heart was halfway in. Initially, I did commence preparation but something within me changed along the road. It came as a result of me doing a lot of soul -searching and weighing in on the advice of others to make the final decision.

I believe I’ve been truly blessed and at this point in time, I remain the only Guyanese to contest at three of the biggest pageants in the world. Though I did not win an international title or placement, I’m grateful for the friendships, connections and memories made.

I feel like while it would be icing on the cake to have this one last shot at making history, the universe has a different calling for me at this time and I’m submitting to that energy force that’s guiding my hand.

DO YOU THINK THAT DECIDING AT THIS MOMENT [SO CLOSE TO THE PAGEANT’S DATE] MAY HAVE RESTRICTED ANOTHER ELIGIBLE CONTESTANT FROM RECEIVING THIS OPPORTUNITY? When I was asked to represent Guyana again in this capacity, initially I was elated and looked forward to it. I was grateful for the opportunity to ‘redeem’ myself and though a bit hesitant, I commenced training and consultations locally and internationally. By mid-July, after internalising the pros and cons I started to realise I wasn’t as passionate about this as I thought I’d be going forward, and my passion for something is one of the key ingredients in my engagements. I relayed my initial feelings to the team and management but they were heavy set on my participation and really encouraged me to stay the course and in part I didn’t want to disappoint them. But I came to a place of realising eventually that this just isn’t my path or a path I was willing to continue down further, and while the support was there and the idea of redemption was very appealing, my spirit just was not feeling it. By September, I informed them that I was declining but, God bless them, they still tried to encourage me to compete.

I’m so grateful that I am surrounded by individuals who believe in me that much, but I had already accepted my fate and it was my decision to make.

DOES THIS MEAN THAT THIS IS IT FOR PAGEANTRY FOR YOU? Yes, but the journey continues. My last walk as a runway model in Guyana will happen on November 1, 2017, at the Strut event happening at the Marriott Hotel, and I’m super excited to stretch my legs once more before calling it quits here officially and shifting my focus. I believe while I did not capture any international title, the network I’ve amassed is one I now look forward to building and have introduced to my music.

I know that my eligibility for pageants officially ends in 2019 but once I make a decision it’s a done deal and at this point, I believe I prefer to pass on my experiences to another Guyanese gem who is ready and able to take on the world on our country’s behalf. I collaborate with Dr Niketa Barker, a former Miss Guyana Universe on a service called Provotique Image & Beauty Pageant Consultancy. The motto is ‘Developing Confidence’ so, for those seeking guidance before and after entering the world of pageantry, search for us on Facebook or do give us a call, we’ll be more than happy to assist.

SINCE YOU ARE LOOKING TO FOCUS ON YOUR SINGING CAREER, WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE PLANS IN THAT REGARD? I’m currently under a development deal, the details of which I can’t lament on presently, however, I’ve tons of material I’ve worked on over the course of the year. I’ve been working tirelessly on bettering my craft first, since my debut last year with Sunshine. I have since released two other singles ‘You don’t own me’ and ‘#1Love’, with another scheduled for a December release. I’m officially launching my artist profile under the stage name ‘Ruqayyah’ in 2018, and commencing work on my debut EP and album respectively.

I am excited about some collaborations both locally and internationally as well.

IS THERE ENOUGH TIME TO FIND A SUITABLE REPLACEI just want to extend my gratitude to everyone who’s stood by my side MENT FOR THE PAGEANT BEFORE IT IS HELD? from the moment I emerged unto the scene at 18 years of age. Eight years At that point I reached out to several prospects asking if they would later some have departed, some have remained, but I remain thankful to take my place but each person reported that they could not due to expenses. all regardless, for the lessons learned, for every word of advice, support I’m still hopeful for a replacement because there is still time. Some queens or assistance given to me along the way by everyone too numerous to are crowned two weeks before departure and the time of selection isn’t as mention. I sincerely believe I’m able to do what I love, journey this important as the quality or readiness of girl selected, and there may be one or path and reap the benefits of all things good not just by myself but two queen potentials out there yet, who are capable of taking on the task of repbecause of the blessings and love of my family, supportive friends, resenting Guyana at that level of pageantry. Ultimately, this decision is up to the my hometown Linden and by greater extension my homeland team and individuals in charge of the franchise because the selected participant Guyana. Thank you to every being who has contributed to my is representing not just themselves but the franchise and the country as well. growth in one way or the other, I do hope someday I’m able to return what you’ve given to me tenfold, “1Love” and no matter WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOwhat anyone says never give up on your dreams.

PLE TO FOLLOW THEIR PASSION NO MATTER Ruqayyah while competing at the WHAT? Ruqayyah plans to give extended insight on a Facebook Miss Universe Pageant Life is so short and unpredictable. We could be off the live video for all those who have supported her journey.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

Together we can make – Guyanese Legends, a difference! GTT Brand Warriors We are warriors. We all are you and I, all of us – whether together as a team or standing as one, we all possess the spirit of a warrior. We may have never sharpened a spear, strung an arrow in bow, or mounted a shield upon our arm. Yet, each of us encounters daily battles that test our desire and will to pursue our dreams. Yes, we are dreamers.

We are all wired with those deep urgings of greatness that challenge us to do more

and become more than either we ourselves or anyone else can ever possibly imagine.

Now, dreams may differ from person to person, after all, we all have a unique place to fill in the annals of human existence. Yet, the essence of us achieving our dreams, promises to not only improve our lives as individuals, but to change our communities, our culture and our country as a whole for the better.

GTT creates legends and celebrates warriors. We embrace those who, despite the seemingly unsurmountable struggles and setbacks that life often bowls our way, manage to press on – never giving up, never giving in, but instead delving deep and tapping into the wells of a power that is beyond the sum of our natural capacity. Warriors never lean or fall into greatness, no!

It is the outcome of a deliberate stride, a purposeful effort on one’s part to never lose even when we’re not winning, but to always learn and always grow through every experience while gaining wisdom for the next battle with every step.

As we celebrate the warrior spirit, GTT is truly honoured to introduce three unique Guyanese Warriors to our ever growing, winning team. Their stories of courage, resilience and strength in pursuit of their dreams while facing extreme opposition will offer a sense of hope that will inspire, equip and propel you to relentlessly pursue your own dreams – enabling you to scribe an indelible mark on the pages of human history.

Guyana, we present to you: Poonam, Drewthoven and Saiku, the newest GTT Warriors.

Poonam Singh a.k.a Poonam is a twenty year old anomaly. Difficult to define, this songbird was the 2nd place runner up at the 2011/2012 GT&T Jingle and Song Competition – yet, she’s come a far way ever since.

Born on the West Bank of Demerara, this beautiful country girl grew up in a little house with big hearts.

For Poonam, music has always been her true and constant companion on the dark and rainy days of her journey thus far – and what a companion it has been!

To date she’s amassed over 46,000 Facebook followers and has released two original songs – one of which has gained over half a million YouTube views. But don’t be fooled this young lioness will be using the charm of her voice for more than just melodies as she prepares to complete bachelor of laws with the London University.

Andrew King a.k.a DrewThoven is a twenty-one year old Guyanese Music Producer/Dj, Award Winning Film Composer, Song Writer and Multi-Instrumentalist who takes elements from his environment to create sounds that are unique. His alias ‘Drewthoven’ is derived from a merger of ‘Beethoven’ and his first name. He’s faced much cynicism and criticism while pursuing his dream to take the music industry in Guyana to a totally new, globally recognised level – yet, his dream is a feat that to date, he is well on his way to achieving.

Saiku Andrews a.k.a Saiku, is a singer/songwriter born and raised in the streets of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana. His mother raised him and nine other siblings in a small two bedroom apartment. He discovered his love for singing at age 11 and has continued his musical journey ever since. Pursuing his musical dreams has always been a challenge while working to build a business and support his wife and children. It has been a long journey, but through his faith in God, today, Saiku owns a successful supermarket and has recently launched his debut album which he is currently touring the globe to promote.

We too, possess a warrior’s spirit – always seeking to do more as we improve our company and its people, the communities we serve and the culture within which we exist, all through our continuous stride towards superior quality services and products that meet and exceed the expectations of our Guyanese people.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

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…bringing better vision to those in need Staff of Modern Optical Service on Middle Street and at the Diamond location as well “Sincere thanks to all our hard-working Lions and also to Lions Immediate Past International President, Bob Corlew” who assisted with the presentation of eyeglasses to some students during his visit here in July,”

Second from left is Lion Tara Naraine, President of Bel-Air Lions Club and at extreme right – Lion Candace Forde with Director of the Orphanage and a staff of the institution

By Shirley Thomas IN a world with a population of 7.3 Billion, 36 million are blind; 217 million are living with Moderate and Severe Vision Impairment (MSVI) and 253 million are visually impaired. But the stark reality is that four out of every five cases or 80 per cent of the world’s blind are avoidably so.

This is according to the most recent figures compiled by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

This year, the ‘Call to Action’ for World Sight Day is: “Make Vision Count”.

World Sight Day (WSD) is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. Additionally, on World Sight Day, IAPB launched the latest data (2015) on the prevalence of avoidable blindness and visual impairment along with the main causes.

Dubbed ‘Sight Conservation Day’ by the Lions Club International, for more than 50 years, the Lions Club has provided eye examinations and new eyeglasses to low-income persons and less fortunate children.

Here in Guyana, the Lions Club of Bel-Air, which has an ongoing interest in sight conservation, has been focusing, not only on initiatives that bring attention on blindness and vision impairment, but more importantly, has been focusing on ‘prevention initiatives’, such as providing free screening for targeted groups, as well as testing and assisting with providing spectacles for persons needing these, but unable to afford them.

On Sight Conservation Day (October 12, 2017), the Lions Club of Bel-Air teamed up with the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman, to facilitate the screening of the orphans (boys) residing at the Shaheed Boys Orphanage located on Alexander Street, Kitty and girls from the Oleander Gardens facility. The screening was done at the Alexander Street facility. Thirty-four orphans were screened in the exercise, the purpose of which is to determine whether there is a need for testing for spectacles.

For the screening, the Lions team was led by President Lion Tara Naraine, accompanied by Chairperson of the Sight Conservation Committee, Lion Natalia Azeez and Chairperson of the Diabetes Committee, Lion Candace Forde and other members

of the Club. These gestures constitute an annual ‘Sight Conservation’ initiative in observance of Sight Conservation Month, according to Lion President Tara Naraine, and the screening is to determine whether there are children in need of follow up testing.

The Club, in collaboration with St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital also conducts a free medical clinic every month at the Lions Club, Enachu Street, Campbellville.

Meanwhile, another gesture undertaken by the Lions Club of Bel-Air in observance of Sight Conservation Day, was the serving of free lunch to 50 visually impaired persons at the Guyana Society for the Blind, High Street, Georgetown.

Gestures such as these, according to Lion President Tara Naraine, make a direct impact on prevention of impaired vision and moreso blindness, and are conducted by the Lions Clubs each year, in observance of Sight Conservation Month.

MAJOR SIGHT CONSERVATION PROJECT And on a larger scale, with kind assistance from Modern Optical and the Diaspora, through Lions Immediate Past International President, Bob Corlew, a Sight Conservation Project involving three schools and which commenced in May, has now been completed Lion Naraine reported.

She said that a total of 260 students were screened from the three schools, namely: Redeemer Primary School; Bel-Air Primary and Campbellville Secondary School.

Sixty (60) students were shorted listed and received eye examinations done

by Dr. Yohan Da Silva from Modern Optical Service on Middle Street. Coming out of this, a total of 48 students have received eyeglasses from this project.

PRESENTATION OF EYE GLASSES Spectacles were provided at a reduced

by Dr. Da Silva Modern Optical as well as from Lions Immediate Past International President, Bob Corlew. A kind donation of eyeglasses was also received from Dr. Jeff Chapman, a member of the Bedford Township Lions Club.

The Lion President expressed profound gratitude to Dr. Yohan Da Silva and his kind staff for coming on board with this project: To Dr. Yohan Silva and his kind

Lion Naraine gratefully acknowledged.

She also expressed gratitude for the contribution of those who performed the screening exercise; transportation of the children from their schools and to members who in various other ways, helped make the initiative a huge success.

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Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

Noon Home Debuts New Way to Light Up Your Life New company Noon Home officially launched on Thursday and simultaneously unveiled its Noon Smart Lighting System, after two years of raising funds and developing products in stealth mode.

The Noon Smart Lighting System blends ambient, task and accent lights to layer lighting, improve the way a room looks, according to the company.

It consists of a Room Director switch and companion Extension Switches, which communicate via Bluetooth Low Energy technology.

The Room Director, which has a glass touchscreen OLED display, clips into the Noon Base at the light switch.

It lets users adjust all a room's lights once the system is installed, said company spokesperson Katie Camacho.

"You can control the Noon Lighting System at the switch, through the Noon app, or via voice with Amazon Alexa," she told TechNewsWorld.

The Noon app runs on iOS and Android smartphones.

Pattern Learning The Noon Smart Lighting System reads electrical currents and uses advanced algorithms to automatically detect and identify the type of bulb and fixture being used.

"The bulb learning capability is unique, and a nice differentiator," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

The system is compatible with virtually any residential bulb, including dimmable and non-dimmable bulbs, incandescents, LED, CFL, fluorescent, ELV (electronic low voltage) and MLV (magnetic low voltage). The system combines information about the bulb type with data about the fixture and room type to create light in three modes: Relax, Everyday and Bright.

Customers can use the Noon app to customize lighting.

Their choices are updated automatically at the extension switch, Camacho said.

Noon's Room Director has a motion sensor that turns on a night light when a person enters its vicinity.

Vacation Mode learns users' patterns over the first week and refreshes the data every few weeks. This data is sent over end-to-end encrypted communications to Noon's servers.

The learned patterns can be set to play when the residents of the home are away.

"We never sell your data without authorization," Camacho said. "Your data is your data. We only use it to benefit you."

PROS AND CONS "Having a dedicated controller will be more consumer-friendly," said Michael Jude, research manager at Stratecast/ Frost & Sullivan.

"Even though the controller is actually in addition to the light switches, it still has a light-switchy ambience that makes it more comfortable to use," he told TechNewsWorld. "People like light switches -- they're obvious."

On the other hand, "the hardware controller approach isn't well received, because you need one for every room," Enderle told TechNewsWorld.

"Amazon Alexa support will alleviate this somewhat," Enderle noted, "but generally a dedicated controller is a nonstarter for now -- though it is easier to set up."

Another issue is that "Bluetooth doesn't penetrate walls very well, making multiroom solutions problematic," he said.

Chronicle Pepperpot October 29, 2017

Apple May Have Fudged iPhone X's Face ID

Apple has reduced the accuracy of the iPhone X Face ID feature to speed up production, Bloomberg reported Monday.

It's not clear how much the new specs will reduce Face ID's efficacy, but if the reporting is accurate, there could be problems recognizing changes in facial hair, glasses and other ancillary features, suggested Gerrit Schneemann, senior analyst at IHS Markit.

"That would be a real problem," he told TechNewsWorld.

The iPhone X doesn't have a fingerprint scanner, and facial recognition is the only biometric unlock mechanism for a number of iPhone features, including Apple Pay, Schneemann pointed out.

Arch-competitor Samsung, on the other hand, "uses retina

or facial recognition in combination with fingerprint recognition," he noted.

If Face ID is less reliable or on par with the competition, "that would mean a win for competitors and a loss for Apple," Schneemann suggested.

FAKE NEWS? Bloomberg's assertion that Apple has reduced the accuracy specs for Face ID "is completely false," the company said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by Apple spokesperson Alex Kirschner.

"The quality and accuracy of Face ID haven't changed," the company maintained. "It continues to be [a] one in a million probability of a random person unlocking your iPhone with Face ID. We expect Face ID to be the new gold standard for facial authentication."

Customer interest in the iPhone X and Face ID has been "incredible," according to Apple, "and we can't wait for customers to get their hands on it starting Friday November 3."

The iPhone X will be available for pre-order this Friday and in stores on Nov. 3.

There have been indications that interest in the iPhone X has dampened sales of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, which are already available.

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The impact of climate change on the fisheries sector

By M. Margaret Burke IN recent times a number of fishermen have been reporting that most of the fish they catch for sale have gone further out at sea, and so, they seem to feel that climate change and the uncertain weather conditions may have something to do with this.

In a recent interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, the Chief Fisheries Officer, Mr Denzil Roberts said that it is true that fishermen in Guyana are spending more time at sea on every trip and even venturing further out at times. “It is noted that climate change can modify the environment in which fishes live and can cause their migration, which can cause migration of fish stocks,” he said. “Whilst this can be a factor, other factors that can cause this are the increased number of fishers, modification and/or the introduction of new fishing methods and overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.”

He went on to say that any physical or chemical factor that is different to the environment that marine resources live in will cause an effect. Additionally, he said that the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean have caused damages to the boats and equipment and possible fishing areas within the areas affected.

This, of course, will affect the harvesting of fish in those areas, Mr Roberts posited.

Fisher Folks Day 2017 The Chief Fisheries Officer drew attention to the recently concluded Fisher Folks Day in which the Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, in his discourse with fishermen, spoke about the seriousness of climate change which they were experiencing. The theme was ‘Climate Change Adaptation of the Fisheries Sector.’

On that occasion, the Agriculture Minister said: “We know the challenging nature of the profession and unfortunately while we overcome most of them, new and emerging challenges appear. One such challenge is climate change. I am sure all would have heard about this and the varying reactions worldwide.

“We have been hearing about climate change and its effects globally. Of course, these effects will impact on Guyana and its economic activities. Make no mistake; climate change is real and present. We in Guyana have cause for worry, as we are a vulnerable nation with our low lying coast and tropical rainforest that can be impacted negatively by adverse climate conditions,” he noted, while stating that the Fisheries sector of Guyana plays a vital role in ending hunger, achieving food security, improving basic nutrition and the socio-economic stability of many Guyanese, both directly and indirectly. These attributes of the sector are at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

THE THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE According to the Minister, “Climate change threatens our ability to achieve global food security, eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development. Climate change in the aquatic ecosystems is severe and widespread.

“The impacts of climate change, variability and extreme weather events are compounding threats to the sustainability of capture fisheries and aquaculture development in marine and freshwater environments. Ensuring food security in the face of climate change is among the most daunting challenges facing humankind,” he said.

The Minister posited that while some of the problems associated with climate change are emerging gradually, action is urgently needed now to allow the aquatic ecosystem to adapt and become resilient over time.

Fish catch decline by 2050 The ocean and the aquatic ecosystems are keys to regulating our world’s climate, as it is the largest natural carbon sink. However, the ocean is currently absorbing carbon at an alarming rate and the results lead to the acidification, which in turn transforms the aquatic ecosystem, the minister told the gathering of fishers.

He said that by the year 2050, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that catches of main fish species will decline by 40 percent in the tropics. The impact of climate change on the fisheries sector are likely to occur as a result of changes in the air and sea temperature, ocean currents, rising sea levels, wind patterns and extreme climate events, including flooding, hurricanes, etc.

These changes will not only affect the fish but will have social and economic consequences for the people dependent on the fisheries sector, the Minister said.

As a result of climate change, the fisheries sectors can be impacted the following way or area: The production and ecology of fish stocks may see a decrease in species abundance, composition and distribution.

These, in turn, will directly affect production and yield.

Climate change, which is said to threaten the very livelihood of the fishers and many others who depend on the fisheries sector as a source of income.

In terms of infrastructure such as landing lists, processing plants and aquaculture ponds, he said that these are threatened by the rising sea level, flooding and an increase in the level of

salinity in our fresh water supply.

Additionally, the increase fishery operation effort will be greatly impacted due to fishers having to travel further offshore and increasing their catching effort to maintain yield.

Then the economy, he posited will be affected as a result of a reduction of export of fish and related products and the national economic development may be greatly affected.

EMBRACE CLIMATE CHANGE The Minister urged fishers to embrace the theme of Fisherfolk Day which ensures that adaption and mitigation are on-going social learning processes that integrate policies, strategies and scientific knowledge from national, regional and international communities.” It is important, he said, “that we continue to develop methods, tools and approaches for climate change assessment and adaptation.”

At the folk day, the Minister told the fishers, “Though we are small in size we must play our part in helping to reduce the advance of climate change.”

He said that playing our part means not throwing litter in the oceans and waterways, especially plastics, also avoid spillage of chemical and fuels; Use climate-smart fishing gear and technology that reduce the impact on the marine life and reduce our

carbon footprint. These and other measures will ensure that we can benefit from incentives and other forms of help to further reduce our impacts on the environment.

Minister Holder said that in an effort to mitigate effects of climate change on the fisheries sector certain measures can be adapted, such as the establishment of marine and coastal protected areas through management and planning for the protection of breeding ground for fish stock.

He said that there must also be an increased access for fishers to have technical, financial and material resources to assist where necessary; and there must also be the development and implementation of management systems for our marine resource, which will involve local communities in the protection and conservation of the fish stock.

Sequentially he said, this will enhance the fishers’ knowledge on the potential effect of climate change.

The minister made it known to the fishers that during the coming years the administration will be proceeding with these and other measures so, “You can become more responsible fishers and be able to guarantee that the marine resources will be there for a long time to come.” (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)

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English THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

But bacon’s not the only thing That’s cured by hanging from a string.

HUGH KINGSMILL (1889-1949), Two Poems after A.E. House STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Motivation originates from your inside as well as from outside. You want to qualify as a member of the nursing professional body because of the excellent job or career opportunities that it brings, and your parents and colleagues are also encouraging you to pursue the qualification.

Understand here and now that motivation and commitment are inseparable partners. Despite your motivation you still need to be really committed to the task of study if you want to succeed in qualifying. Be wise.

Love you GRAMMAR A) Making Verbs Agree with Their Subjects NOTE: A verb should agree in person and number with its subject. Again today we look at some subject-verb situations that cause difficulty. a) Do not be misled by a phrase that follows the subject. Phrases beginning with such expres-

sions as accompanied by, as well as, together with can be really troublesome to some persons.

Such a phrase does not affect the number of the subject. Find the subject and pay no attention to phrases following it. i) A long line of blue-backed crabs was marching from the crab heath. (Line is the subject; the singular was is needed.) ii) Harlequin, as well as his two brothers, is coming to dinner tonight. (Harlequin is the subject; the singular is is needed. If ever the singular verb sounds awkward to you, recast the sentence: Harlequin is here, as are his two brothers.) b) Do not be misled by an introductory there. It is not the subject.

There are no cashew seedlings for sale this week. (Seedlings, the plural subject, needs the plural are.) c) If a predicate nominative differs in number from the subject, make the verb agree with the subject, not the predicate nominative. i) His favourite gift is flowers. ii) Flowers are Johnny’s favourite gift. d) When two or more singular subjects are joined by or or nor, use a singular verb; if the subjects are plural, use a plural verb; if the subjects vary in number, use a verb that agrees with the nearest subject. i) Either Samaroo or his mother is usually at his child’s PTA meetings. ii) Neither the pastors nor the teachers have witnessed so far the incident in their church. iii) No black and white sneakers, skimpy skirt, or gold necklace was left in the pound last evening. iv) The authorities are wondering why no dog, goat or horses have been rounded up by the new stray-animal catchers today. e) If a verb has a relative pronoun as its subject, the verb should agree with the antecedent of the pronoun. i) She is one of the detectives who readily help out in domestic problems. (The antecedent of who is detectives, third person plural: detectives help out.) ii) He is the only one of the office cleaners who comes early. (The antecedent is not cleaners, but one, which is third person singular: one comes.) iii) It is I who reward good actions around here. (The antecedent of who is I, first person singular: I reward.)

Something to Do Choose the correct verb for each sentence that follows. Explain why you chose each verb.

1. George Simon, as well as his parents, (has, have) a reward in dentistry implants.

2. No hat, bat, or buckets (was, were) left in the washroom by the visiting teams.

3. He is one of those pensioners who (is, are) naturally gifted in carving in stone.

4. Shelly, not her sisters (sell, sells) clothing for the new born.

5. Neither the club’s vice-president nor the committee members (are, is) here to check the plaque with the honour roll.

THE PASSAGE Read for general satisfaction: The Happening A funny thing happened on my way to Aunt Grace’s house yesterday. While waiting for the traffic light at Grant and Pine, I saw a man drop a small package into the mailbox on the opposite corner. Even from that distance, I saw a look of sudden panic on his face.

By the time I had crossed the street, he was trying desperately to get the package back.

All of one hand and part of his arm were jammed into the narrow opening. Not only was he unable to retrieve his package; now his hand was stuck. Naturally, a crowd had gathered. Everyone was shouting advice at the poor man; but before he could free himself, a policeman came along. The officer suggested that we continue about our business. As we left, I could hear him explaining to the man the proper procedure for reclaiming items mailed by mistake. On my way home later that afternoon, I passed the same corner. The mailbox was still there, but the man was not.

Something to Do: Write one small paragraph giving an opinion of what you think might have happened as a result of this incident.

The Excerpt Mr. Foster may possibly have had no excuse to be irritated by this foolishness of his wife’s, but he could have had no excuse for increasing her misery by keeping her waiting unnecessarily.

Mind you, it is by no means certain that this is what he did, yet whenever they were to go together somewhere, his timing was so accurate – just a minute or two late, you understand – and his manner so bland that it was hard to believe he wasn’t purposely inflicting a nasty private torture of his own on the unhappy lady. And one thing he must have known – that she would never dare to call out and tell him to hurry. He had disciplined her too well for that. He must also have known that if he was prepared even beyond the last moment of safety, he would drive her nearly into hysterics. On one or two especial occasions in the later years of their married life, it seemed almost as though he had wanted to miss the train simply in order to intensify the poor woman’s suffering….

Something to Do: Read closely, and then distinguish the main idea from supporting details.

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Bollywood news

Shah Rukh Khan: I'm Amitabh Bachchan receives a big fan of Akshaye special gift from Shefali Shah Khanna's work Not many know that 'Ittefaq', Yash Chopra's 1969 cult classic, is one of Shah Rukh Khan's favourite movies. In fact, he has always been keen on making an adaptation of the film and even acting in it.

However, when SRK couldn't commit to it due to prior commitments, he decided to co-produce the suspense thriller with Karan Johar and Renu Ravi Chopra.

We hear that King Khan is extremely happy with the way the upcoming movie, helmed by debutant Abhay Chopra, has shaped up. He is especially

film, which just adds to his performance and portrayal of this tough, no-nonsense cop."

SRK goes on to say that he is a big fan of the actor.

impressed with Akshaye Khanna, who portrays the role of a tough cop. Shah Rukh says, "Akshaye is unreadable and that's one of the plus points of the film.

Personally, I feel that nobody could have essayed this role better than him. Sidharth and Sonakshi present an able foil to Akshaye's character in the

"I've always been extremely fond of Akshaye and his acting abilities. I'm a big fan of his work. There's a strange mystique about him that reflects in his acting. He does very little, but conveys a gamut of emotions effortlessly. As an audience, he always keeps you guessing about his character's journey," he signs off.

'Ittefaq', produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, BR Studios and Dharma Productions, releases on November 3.

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has received a special painting as a gift from his 'Waqt: The race against time' co-star Shefali Shah. The National award winning actress gifted the painting expressing her fondness for the actor.

Talking about the special present, Shah said, "The painting is based on a series called 'One in a million' and I couldn't think of anyone better to give it to than a man who's one in a trillion, actually he's just one of a kind. Somebody I adore, I respect a lot and love immensely."

The 'Dil Dhadakne Do' star also took to Twitter to share her the moment with

her fans. " A man I am honoured to know. A man I respect tremendously and love immensely.

Hope you liked the gift Amitji. @SrBachchan," she wrote.

Having worked together on multiple projects like 'The Last Lear', 'Waqt: The race against time' and 'Mohabbatein', the duo share a warm and friendly bond.

Entertainment

'Elektra' actress Natassia Gal Gadot considered giving up acting before Malthe says Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her 'Wonder Woman'

Gal Gadot has said that she considered quitting acting before the 'Wonder Woman' role made her into an international icon.

"Before I got Wonder Woman, I was thinking about never coming back to Los Angeles, (I thought I'd) stay in Israel, work as an actress here and there, go back to university and do some-

Norwegian model and actress Natassia Malthe has accused studio mogul Harvey Weinstein of raping her in a London hotel room after BAFTA ceremony in 2008.

The actress, who has appeared in more than 50 films, said that she met Weinstein at the after party of the 2008 ceremony while she was working as a spokeswoman. While speaking at a press conference, Malthe said that despite her repeatedly telling Weinstein she was not interested in a sexual relationship, he forced himself on her in a room at a

thing else," Gadot told.

Gadot said that after facing so many rejections in her career, she felt like giving up acting.

"My husband has a lot of work in Tel Aviv, and we had a daughter, so taking them to LA to fish for work put a lot of pressure on me. I was like', 'Why am I doing this?' Hearing no, over and over, I was thinking, 'What am I good for?' And that's when I got Wonder Woman," she added.

The 32-year-old actor felt relieved when her law career did not pan out.

"You convince yourself to do these things... 'I'll be a lawyer so I can make peace and people will be able to reach agreements.

Whereas, in real life, lawyers deal with conflict non-stop. Conflicts are not good for me. I'm all about harmony and Zen. So I'm happy it didn't work out," said Gadot.

The actor will reprise her role in 'Justice League', which opens in theatres on November 17.

hotel after they met at the Baftas in February 2008.

She said, "I was sitting on the bed talking to Harvey when he pushed me back and forced himself onto me. It was not consensual. He did not use a condom.

I was completely grossed out. I believe that I disassociated during the time that he was having sex with me. I laid still and closed my eyes and just wanted it to end. I was like a dead person. Afterwards I lay there in complete disgust."

Tamarind Drink Ingredients 1 lb fresh Tamarind shelled 4 cups of water 1 cup of brown sugar Instructions Add all ingredients to a saucepot , and bring to a rapid boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and boil for

30 minutes Let this cool and strain though a sieve, using a spoon to assist in getting all the pulp through the sieve.

Use a funnel to transfer into a tall bottle and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Garnish with a sprig of mint.